Steve Baird is an Australian businessman noted for his marketing campaigns and, more recently, campaigns to end modern slavery.

Early life and education

Baird is the youngest of three children born to Judy and Bruce Baird. ^[1] As an infant, his father was made Australia's Trade Commissioner to the United States, and the family relocated to Rye, New York. ^[1] His family returned to Australia in time for to him begin his primary education, just as his father ran for a seat in NSW Parliament. ^[2] A passionate sportsman, he excelled at cricket while attending Knox Grammar School, with his HSC results listed by the Board of Studies for merit. ^{[1] [3] [4]} In an interview with his family, they recalled that themes of dinner table conversations were winning the Sydney 2000 Olympic bid and caring for refugees in Australia. ^[4] Following his father, his university studies were in business, though Baird himself says it was his mother's model of empathy that would be the bigger influence. ^[5]

Business

After a short spell in business banking with National Australia Bank, Baird's career moved to roles in marketing, beginning at Qantas. ^{[5] [6]} While managing campaigns, including the launch of the Qantas Frequent Flyer app, he also managed volunteers from the Qantas Cabin Crew Team, providing flight blankets homeless people, in partnership with local charities, such as Youth Off The Streets. ^{[7] [5] [8]}

In 2013, after ten years service with Qantas, Baird took a management role running brand and engagement campaigns for Virgin Australia. ^[5] By 2016 he was the Head of Marketing, growing the membership base of the Australian frequent flyer program to 10 million. ^[9] His team won international several awards at this time, including a Cannes Lion for the 'Billion Point' campaign in 2017. ^{[6] [10]}

Anti-slavery

In an interview, Baird said he received a text message from a friend in early 2020, suggesting he apply for a role with International Justice Mission, the world's largest anti-slavery operation. ^[4] He dismissed the message, but couldn't shake the idea. ^[4] Pushed on by friends, and impressed with breakthroughs the organisation had made in reducing the exploitation of children, he applied, and was appointed to the role of CEO. ^{[4] [1]}

Baird set a goal of raising the profile of IJM in Australia, to mobilise Australian expertise in the field, generate new financial resources for the group and initiate several campaigns aimed at legislators. ^[6] In 2022, he launched a report that of all Australian company statements submitted under Australia's Modern Slavery Act, 85% failed to show any response to actual or alleged slavery in operations or supply chains. ^[11]

Baird's work was profiled in a podcast produced by Australian Federal Police, in which he admitted he was appalled to discover that, as of 2021, Australia ranked third for global consumption of online sexual exploitation of children material:

it's important that we start to have more of a national conversation around terrible forms of slavery like the online sexual exploitation of children that we understand that Australia is part of both the problem and the solution. ^[12]

By directing campaigns at individual lawmakers and government leaders, Baird saw significant breakthroughs at the state and federal level. ^[13] One campaign was created simply to persuade the Special Minister of State, Don Harwin, to fully introduce anti-slavery reforms to NSW. ^[14] Another activated religious leaders to push Dominic Perrottet to endorse the Modern Slavery Act. ^[15] By 2022, NSW became Australia's first state to appoint and resource an Anti-slavery Commissioner. ^[16] This complements the federal regime, companies with annual consolidated revenue of at least $100 million have to report on their supply chains. ^[1]

Personal life

Steve Baird's older sister is the author and journalist, Julia Baird. ^[5] In a passage of her book, Bright Shining, she explores what motivates her brother's drive for justice, and learns it was their mother, Judy, whom he saw ‘model solidarity with the vulnerable and make power decisions to support and express kindness towards those in need. This has always been true north for me.’ ^[17]

His older brother, by ten years, is Mike Baird, who served as the 44th Premier of New South Wales. ^{[4] [18]}

Baird shares the faith of his father Bruce, and his mother Judy, who died in 2021. ^[19] He and his wife live in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, where they raise their three sons, and Baird coaches the Glenbrook-Blaxland Cricket team. ^{[1] [20]}

References