Twitter tipped to launch local office as top executives head to Australia for secret meetings

Twitter is expected to launch an office in Australia as senior Twitter executives fly into Australia this week to meet major sporting bodies, media organisations and key users of the social media network.

Mike Brown, the head of international development at Twitter, will attend meetings in Sydney and Melbourne, including a “secret breakfast” to showcase Twitter best practice in the world of sport and entertainment. 

In an invitation entitled “Your exclusive invitation to a secret breakfast with Twitter”, top Twitter users were invited along to the event in Melbourne tomorrow morning hosted by Sean Callanan of social media consultancy Sports Geek and Francis Leach of the ABC.

“Twitter loves the Australian Twitter scene and they are excited to see it continually growing,” the email states.

“The Twitter team will be in Australia for this invite-only event sharing valuable Twitter insights and case studies.”

Brown will attend and his presentation will include a video link up with Omid Ashtari, the head of Twitter’s sports and entertainment team and Jenna Mannos, also from the sports and entertainment team. 

An “Australian Twitter all-star panel” will also feature which at this stage only features chef George Calombaris.

“Mike will demonstrate where Twitter is right now, where it is headed and insights into the Australia Twitter scene,” the email states.

Media are banned from reporting on the event, which costs $59 to attend with the invitation stating “at the request of Twitter, press will not be invited to the event.”

Organiser Callanan told SmartCompany he is unable to comment on whether the Australian meetings are part of a push by the social media network to open an office in Australia and Twitter failed to respond to a request for comment.

However, The Australian reports that the social media giant is also aiming to have a local office up and running by Christmas next year with about six staff managing areas such as sales, sports liaison and government policy.

Twitter’s push into Australia follows the launch of the @TwitterAU account last month which has begun verifying leading accounts by marking them with a blue and white tick.

The focus has been on key Australian media and sporting accounts as Twitter wants to increase its local membership by encouraging media outlets and sporting organisations to integrate the social networking site into their content.

This can be achieved by running tweets onscreen during television shows and creating hashtags for major events.

“Been verifying AFL athletes all day. Thanks to @AFL and @Heath_Evans for all your help! Play in the @AFL? Contact Heath to get verified,” a tweet from the new Australian Twitter account stated last week.