Likeable Lab has appointed agency heavyweight Strahan Wallis to its board as non-executive chairman to help guide and advise the agency through the next stage of its development. He replaces London-based Stephen Haupt, who has left after 13 years to pursue a role elsewhere.
“I have been growing this marketing agency since 2016 and while I ran a business for 10 years prior to that, I had to figure out how to run an agency as I went. Finding a chair as experienced at running and growing an agency as Strahan is huge. Every problem, every challenge and every opportunity we encounter, he has been there, done that, and earned the stripes. That knowledge and experience are helping to fast-track Likeable Lab like never before,” said Nick McDonald, owner and manager, Likeable Lab.
“I’m thrilled to join such a brilliant, new generation social-led marketing agency. It serves clients from Newmarket to New York, from small family-owned enterprises to Fortune 500 companies – how cool is it, that this is happening from Aotearoa,” said Wallis.
“The agency is stacked with talented and very likeable humans around the world and I am excited to be partnering with them as WALLIS&CO’S inaugural agency client. Likeable Lab represents a new generation of agency; moving at the speed of our evolving culture through social-led, creative and effective marketing. I’m stoked to be on the team to help guide the agency through the next stage of its development,” added Wallis.
Since leaving his role as chief executive officer at Clemenger Group earlier this year, Wallis has embarked on a portfolio career as an independent director and consultant. A seasoned leader and board director in the media industry he left his previous role after 13 years with the holding company.
Prior to this, Strahan was the managing director of Porter Novelli’s (a global PR firm) North American offices including Canada and Southern California. He also successfully led Porter Novelli New Zealand, showcasing his extensive experience and leadership in both domestic and international markets.
McDonald was running his business Social With Precision when he acquired Likeable in 2018, followed by a second acquisition of LeadSocial in Hamilton in 2020. All businesses have now merged under one name, Likeable Lab, which has rapidly grown over the past eight years. Headquartered in Tauranga and Hamilton, the agency operates with staff also in Auckland, Australia, UK-based, Manilla, and the USA and is continuing to experience strong growth.
