PwC-backed creative shop Thinkerbell has announced the appointment of Sam Cavanagh as its head of production.

Cavanagh was most recently the national executive producer at Southern Cross Austereo, where he produced awarding-winning shows such as Hamish & Andy and Kennedy Molloy.

Furthermore, Cavanagh is an adviser for podcast and online audio publishing platform Omny, and runs a small podcast network with Wil Anderson and Charlie Clausen called TOFOP Productions.

Thinkerbell managing director Margie Reid said the agency has taken an unconventional approach by hiring Cavanagh to shake up traditional production.

“Sam has built up an expertise in fast, always-on, and fully integrated production techniques during his time in radio,” she said.

“He’s produced everything from commercials, crazy events, long form content, and some of Australia’s biggest social media communities.”

“The world of production has been disrupted completely. We wanted someone who has got a genuine pedigree in making all types of production pieces. Interestingly, this type of person is still relatively rare to find.

“Further, Sam is a genuinely talented person, with a vibe that’s a mix of both complete calmness and ‘let’s get shit done’.”

Commenting on his appointment, Cavanagh said: “I’m beyond excited to work with the team at Thinkerbell. I will work with the Thinkers and Tinkers to deliver world-class work.

“We’ll also ensure that our production capabilities are never ‘set and forget’. When we put things out into the world, the most interesting part of the production process starts – not stops.

“The live-to-air nature of radio has been the perfect training ground for listening to how an audience reacts to content and responding accordingly.”