Thrive backs new leaders with three senior promotions across Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland

Following the appointment of former DDB Worldwide Global Chairman Marty O'Halloran as Thrive Strategic Advisor earlier this year, creative communications agency Thrive PR & Communications has made three strategic leadership moves that will shape the agency's future.

Thrive has appointed long-term Thrive leader and boomerang Sophie Maguire to head its Melbourne operations, while Kyra Shakspeare and Lwindi Ellis have been elevated to lead the Brisbane and Auckland offices respectively.

The moves follow the recent launch of Acuity, Thrive's corporate communications sister agency, and reflects the agency's continued investment in its people, culture and client partners  across Australia and New Zealand.

Leilani Abels, founder and CEO of Thrive and Acuity, said, "I could not be more confident or humbled by the smarts and energy that Sophie, Kyra and Lwindi bring to our leadership bench at Thrive. To have three standout female leaders, committed to their teams and clients' success, is what every agency strives for with their leadership - consistency, connections and creative thinking drive these high-achieving PR women.

"I'm very proud of what they have already achieved at Thrive and their work in our industry. These leadership appointments represent the continued evolution of Thrive. We are once again, taking it up another level for our clients into 2027 and beyond."

Stepping into their new roles, the newly appointed leaders reflect on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Maguire said, "I truly never imagined I'd be in this position when I walked through the doors as a 21-year-old in 2008. I've had the opportunity to work with incredible people and brands, both internationally and here in Australia, but I've always found my way back to Thrive. It really does feel like a full-circle moment, and I'm genuinely excited to help shape the next chapter of our Melbourne office while building on the strong foundations already in place. Melbourne is Australia's cultural and sporting capital, and I see a huge opportunity for brands who want to be part of the conversations shaping culture." 

In Queensland, Shakspeare said, "We are building a sharp, infectious energy, zero fluff, and utterly indispensable team. I want our clients to view us less like a hired agency and more like their sharpest internal comms experts. There's an unapologetic momentum up here in Queensland. We have shed the reputation of being a secondary market. We stand on its own two feet, and brands want an authentic presence here. Brisbane 2032 isn't just a distant sporting event on the calendar,  it's an active, six-year golden runway that is fundamentally transforming how businesses talk about legacy, impact and global relevance today. Our role is to be the ultimate cheat code for clients on that journey, helping local brands scale onto the world stage and ensuring global brands show up with real local cred."

Ellis' vision for Thrive New Zealand is clear, she wants to grow the Auckland-based team, building on current momentum to provide NZ expertise to Trans-Tasman brands and  locally based organisations. Ellis said, "I was fortunate to have already worked with Thrive for six months before stepping into this role, which gave me a proper runway to understand the agency culture and get to know our global clients like BYD and Afterpay, so when the chance came to take the reins of the NZ business, I jumped at it. Thrive's an ambitious, creative and forward-thinking agency and I'm delighted to be driving its business here in Aotearoa.”

The appointments supercharge Thrive's Excess Earned Attention™ proposition - the agency's differentiator that drives disproportionate, measurable communications results and relevancy for brands beyond organic earned media, owned media and paid placement.