72andSunny’s chief creative officer Wesley Hawes has departed the agency.
Hawes joined 72andSunny from Innocean in January last year.
Former Thinkerbell creative Nic Buckingham has been appointed the Stagwell-owned agency’s new ECD in Hawes’ stead.
Buckingham will be based in Sydney.
“There’s something ready to happen at 72andSunny Sydney, and I wanted to be the one to help make it happen,” Buckingham said.
“Too much advertising disappears the moment it runs. I’m here because I don’t think it has to. 72andSunny has always known how to make work that plants itself in culture and I want to bring that to this market with the craft and ambition it deserves.”
Buckingham will work with 72andSunny managing director Sophie Sykes and executive strategy director Alexandra Nel.
Buckingham joins 72andSunny as a multidisciplinary creative whose career spans two decades at the intersection of advertising and entertainment across Australia and the US.
72andSunny said his work reflects a rare ability to operate at both cultural and commercial scale, collaborating with talent such as Ryan Reynolds, partnering with LeBron James for Intel, and working alongside Taika Waititi for Carlton Dry. From tackling gender imbalance with the 2% Choir for The Grammys to creating culturally resonant brand moments, his work is intelligent and precise, and defined by executional craft and a deep instinct for what earns attention.
“Sydney is an important market for us, and we have incredible momentum right now. We have a clear ambition to keep raising the bar on the kind of work we’re doing in the region, and Nic is the perfect person to help us take it to the next level” says Justine Armour, CCO International, 72andSunny. “Nic brings a rare combination of cultural instinct, global experience and hands-on craft. He creates work that people choose to engage with, that travels, and that drives real impact for clients. That’s the standard we’re continuing to build on in Sydney”.
“There’s something ready to happen at 72andSunny Sydney and I wanted to be the one to help make it happen,” says Buckingham. “Too much advertising disappears the moment it runs. I’m here because I don’t think it has to. 72andSunny has always known how to make work that plants itself in culture and I want to bring that to this market with the craft and ambition it deserves. Partnering with clients alongside Sophie and Alex to make work that earns people’s attention rather than demanding it is the plan. Working with Justine again feels right, just on a much bigger canvas.”
“I’m so proud of everything we achieved at 72andSunny Sydney. From being ranked the number one agency for new business wins in 2025, to all the stellar creative work we put out – with more genuinely world-class work to come in a matter of weeks. Most of all, I’m proud of the relationships I fostered with our clients and the trust they placed in me. I’m excited by what’s next and will announce my own news soon,” Hawes told B&T.
