Joel Kleber, Chief Marketing Officer of Jim’s Group, has been elected to the board of directors of the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA).
Joel won his seat in the FCA’s 2026 general election.
The FCA is the peak body for franchising in Australia.
The board sets direction for the sector and represents franchisors, franchisees and suppliers to government.
This is Joel’s first board directorship.
A CAREER BUILT INSIDE FRANCHISING
Joel has spent 15 years at Jim’s Group. He started as a part-time paralegal while studying at Deakin University. He moved through legal, compliance and operations roles, then stepped into the CMO role in 2019.
Jim’s Group now has more than 5,800+ franchisees across 50+ service divisions.
In 2024 and 2026, Joel was ranked number one in Australia’s Top 30 Franchise Executives.
He took the top spot again in 2026, the first executive to rank number one twice. Jim’s Group founder Jim Penman credits Joel in his book as the main driver of the company’s recent growth.
WHAT JOEL BRINGS TO THE BOARD
Joel is known across the sector for one belief. People trust people, not brands.
His recruitment approach puts franchisees and founders on camera through YouTube, podcasts and social media.
Prospective franchisees see the business, hear from the people running it, and make an informed decision before they sign.
He also runs The Franchise Marketer, a newsletter, podcast and YouTube channel for franchise executives and marketers across Australia.
“Franchising gave me a career. I started at Jim’s as a part-time paralegal. Now I get to help represent a sector where thousands of Australians run their own business. I want more people to trust the model, and I want to earn that trust with honesty.”
Everyone at Jim’s Group congratulates Joel on his election to the FCA board.