Co-founder Sarah Hickey is departing Melbourne production company Monster & Bear after nearly 15 years to pursue her directing career full-time.
Hickey was one of the original founders of the long-standing production company, alongside Ryan Bird and Josh Mitchell-Frey, and has played a central role in building Monster & Bear into a respected partner for agencies and brands across TVC production, branded content, documentaries, digital and integrated campaigns.
While stepping away from the company’s day-to-day leadership, Hickey will remain part of the Monster & Bear creative family, continuing to be on the company’s roster of directors and remaining available for commercial projects.
She has currently accepted a director’s block on Gristmill Productions (Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope) acclaimed TV series Little Lunch (Season 2), kicking off in May 2026.
The move marks a transition for the business, with a refreshed leadership structure set to guide the company into its next phase.
Stepping into new roles within the strategic leadership team are Samantha Haines, who joins as head of production, and Leslie Preyer, creative director. They will work alongside co-founders Mitchell-Frey and Bird, who continue in executive leadership roles within the business.
The restructure comes as Monster & Bear sharpens its focus on the rapidly evolving production landscape, helping brands and agencies navigate shifting budgets, new content formats and increasingly complex media ecosystems.
With capabilities spanning high-end commercial production through to nimble social, lo-fi content, the studio is doubling down on its ability to deliver end-to-end production under one roof whist maintaining quality and storytelling.
Hickey said leaving the company she co-built was a deeply emotional moment, but one that also marks an exciting creative shift.
“Leaving Monster & Bear is bittersweet after so many years,” said Hickey.
“We were babies when we started the company, and it’s truly been the cornerstone of my career. But now it feels like the right time to follow my heart into directing full-time; focusing on TV series and commercial storytelling without trying to run a company at the same time.”
Bird said the transition reflects both pride in Hickey’s next chapter and excitement about the company’s future.
“Josh and I are excited by what the future holds for both Sarah and the team here at Monster & Bear,” said Bird.
“Sarah will always be an important part of the M&B family and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built together over the last 13 years.”
“What really drew me to Monster & Bear is the scale of talent we have in-house, which is a rare advantage in today’s production landscape. I’m incredibly excited to be joining the team and looking forward to evolving how we support our clients; elevating the service experience and expanding what we can offer to marketers and agencies alike,” commented Haines on her appointment.
Preyer is excited for the shake up, too.
“I’m sad to be saying goodbye to Sarah, but also very happy for her to be diving into her creative work completely! This is an amazing opportunity for some fresh creative talent and new perspectives at M&B. I’m looking forward to lifting the creative bar even higher and working alongside Sam, Josh and Ryan to help steer the M&B team in this next chapter of the business.”
