Charlie Gunningham

Charlie Gunningham started his digital strategy advisory business Damburst in July 2017 and was the managing editor of StartUp News. In January 2022, Mr Gunningham became the director of innovation at the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. He stepped down from this role in August 2024.

Originally an Economics teacher from the UK, he taught in Singapore prior to landing in Perth in 1997 where he did an MBA at UWA Business School and graduated as top student in 1999.

Later that same year, Mr Gunningham set up aussiehome.com, an online real estate business, which was sold to REIWA in 2010. He ran reiwa.com for 3 years before joining Business News in May 2013 as general manager of digital, chief operating officer from July 2014 and as chief executive from January 2015 to June 2017. Mr Gunningham was also the managing editor of The Property Tribune from November 2020 to September 2021.

He was a co-founder of eGroup and a past 40under40 winner (2003).

At the 2021 annual WA Incite Awards, Mr Gunningham was named the Pearcey Entrepreneur Of The Year for his 20 years of involvement in the WA tech sector.