FutureBrand Australia has appointed Jill Hale (lead image) to the newly-created role of strategy director.
Hale’s appointment follows FutureBrand’s 25 per cent growth in the 2022 financial year, as the company bolsters its team to deliver for its growing group of clients.
On Hale’s appointment, head of dtrategy Victoria Berry said: “What attracted us to Jill is the depth of her experience, combined with her belief that she still has more to learn and grow. That’s a combination that fits very well with our culture and ways of working. We see our team as a diverse group of experts who are continually learning to enrich the strategic insights and ideas we deliver for our clients.
“Jill’s appointment now and Emma Waterman’s promotion to Senior Strategist in June build our team as we maintain our drive to enable our expanding group of clients to transform and grow their brands and businesses.”
Hale joins FutureBrand from The Contenders where she was a senior strategist. Prior to that, Hale was an independent consultant with Ginger and chief customer officer with Brande. She’s also held roles with Interbrand and Yoke.
On joining FutureBrand, Hale commented: “To say I am happy to be joining FutureBrand doesn’t adequately convey how much this opportunity means to me. On the one hand, I’m nervous, as this is a branding company I have looked up to and admired for well over a decade. On the other, I feel immensely proud to be joining Rich’s team, made up of industry leaders like Victoria. I look forward to contributing everything I can to the transformational clients with whom FutureBrand works, while also continuing to learn and grow, as all strategists should.”
FutureBrand’s recent wins include Beca, Bush Heritage Australia, Golf Australia, Huddle Insurance, Open Money Group and TPT Wealth. FutureBrand has also secured an expanded remit with both Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and Funlab across its portfolio of brands that include Strike, Holey Moley and the newly-launched Hijinx Hotel, among other confidential projects.
The business continues to achieve a high Net Promoter Score with clients at +71.
On FutureBrand Australia’s growth CEO Rich Curtis said: “My aim for both our new and current team members alike is to deliver a rewarding employee experience so that we not only retain our wonderfully talented people but also attract new talent in an increasingly competitive recruitment market. With that in mind, Jill is a great fit for our team culture and the way we work with our clients.”
Rich Curtis bought FutureBrand Australia from Interpublic Group in July 2020, making it his independent agency with the network and resources of FutureBrand global. Since then the local team has launched brand transformations for Guide Dogs Australia, Innowell, Macquarie Group, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, MyFavorito, New Zealand Natural, Orygen and Vocus, among others.
Hale’s appointment is effective immediately.
