Marie Louise Theile graduated from the University of QLD with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Journalism and English Literature in 1985.
Marie-Louise is a former journalist and TV news presenter having worked in print and electronic media in Australia and New York for over 20 years. Initially working in newspapers in Australia, she then worked for Elle Magazine and then as an international newspaper bureau journalist in New York. Upon her return to Australia 1989 she commenced her career as a television journalist working at the ABC. She worked as a news presenter for the Ten Network in Brisbane and Melbourne from 1991 to 2007.
Marie-Louise was a Member on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Modern Art – IMA (2011-2012) and was then Chair of the Board (2012-2016).
Currently Marie-Louise is Creative Director of New Initiative a niche branding marketing and place making creative agency that evolved out of her previous role as a with the James Street Initiative. These entities focus on developing and promoting a unique inner city precinct renewal project and annual cultural events including: James Street Resort, James Street Up Late, Art on James, In Design Up Late and the James Street Food and Wine Trail.
Marie-Louise has been on the Australian Chamber Orchestra Event Committee since 1999.
Marie-Louise has been an invited speaker at Monocle Magazine’s Cities Series and Quality of Life Conferences in Chengdu (2019) and Lisbon (2015). . She has also spoken at the Global Cities After Dark Conference in Sydney in 2017.
From 2006 – 2012 Marie-Louise was a regular chairperson at the Brisbane Writers Festival.
Other roles Marie Louise has fulfilled are – media relations officer for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (2008 2010) and Creative Director of the Heat Fashion platform for the QLD Government Creative Industries Department for the promotion of QLD fashion designers in international markets.