Intrepid Travel has reshaped its Australia Direct Marketing team structure, promoting Josh O’Connor and Natasha Bounyaphol to accelerate partnerships, sponsorships and audience growth.
The changes are designed to drive brand growth and reach new audiences through more integrated and culturally relevant marketing initiatives with branded sponsorships playing a central role.
The brand notes that the refreshed structure will enable more cohesive planning and execution across campaigns, partnerships and sponsorships, supporting stronger and more consistent messaging in the Australian market.
O’Connor steps into the role of Brand Sponsorships Manager, where he will lead partnerships across sport and culture. Since joining Intrepid Travel in 2024, he has been instrumental in establishing the company’s entry into the sporting arena.
This includes Intrepid’s Big Bash League partnership with the Melbourne Stars, along a growing relationship with North Melbourne Football Club across AFL and AFLW.
On LinkedIn, O’Connor said he is “grateful to continue working with such a great team internally and externally across our partner network, and looking forward to what’s ahead in 2026 and beyond”.
Bounyaphol has been elevated to Marketing Specialist, where she will support the growing sponsorship portfolio and broader campaign activity.
Her role will be key in executing integrated campaigns that connect partnerships with compelling content, ensuring sponsorship investments translate into meaningful brand engagement.
Bounyaphol recently led an Intrepid Nepal Women’s Expedition trip featuring AFLW athletes, an initiative that blends experiential travel with storytelling and advocacy with campaign content set to launch later this year.
Of this experience, she said: “We wanted to capture the essence of small group travel and the special shared stories between our trailblazer athletes, leaders and all‑female crew of porters and guides.”
“Without giving too much away, this journey was about so much more than the physical challenges. It was about the sisterhood and meaningful connections between our AFLW athletes, talented crew, our powerhouse trip leader and inspiring all‑female porter crew.
“Feeling grateful for this opportunity and sharing impactful stories,” Bounyaphol said on LinkedIn.
Intrepid Travel Head of Marketing ANZ Alexa Theofanou said the changes are designed to create greater clarity and impact across the direct marketing function.
“This structure sets us up to deliver with greater clarity and impact, while creating more opportunities to connect with audiences in culturally relevant ways. Our partnerships and sponsorships play an important role in how we bring the Intrepid brand to life,” she said.
