Milla McPhee has been the chief strategist at Droga5 ANZ for just over a year but she’s departing to join the ABC as its new director of audiences.
McPhee spent seven-and-a-half years with Droga5, when she first joined as a strategist in 2011, before returning in 2023. Between her Droga5 stints, she was head of brand and creative strategy at Amazon, and also held stints at Adam & Eve DDB in London.
During her time in agencies, she developed strategies for brands such as NRMA, Telstra, Optus, Tourism Australia, Australia Post, and Qantas.
In her new role, McPhee will be responsible for understanding audience needs and ensuring the ABC is meeting them. The audience team encompasses data and insights, social media and partnerships, marketing, internal creative and media agencies, enterprise design and accessibility, and audience planning and support.
Karen Madden, former ABC head of marketing, had been in the role since August in an acting capacity, following the departure of former audience head Leisa Bacon.
McPhee will report to ABC managing director Hugh Marks.
“Milla clearly has an incredibly strategic and creative mind that will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the relationship between the ABC, its programs and services, and all Australians,” Marks said.
“She will bring a unique perspective and audience-focused approach to the leadership team, contributing to the ABC’s delivery of memorable and distinctive content experiences,” Marks added.
“The ABC is one of our most vital public institutions and enduring cultural icons. Its role as our most trusted source of understanding and shared meaning has never been more essential,” McPhee said.
“I’m honoured to join the leadership team at such a critical moment for media, creativity, and Australia’s cultural identity,” she added.
A fellow ex-Accenture Song employee also recently joined the ABC. Kyle Hugall, who also worked in strategy at Droga5, started at the broadcaster last month to lead its in-house creative agency, ABC Made.
It came following operational changes by the ABC a week prior, that saw the dismantling of the ‘social strategy’ team within ABC Audiences. That team’s duties will be carried out by various groups within the strategy, marketing, and screen divisions.
As part of the changes, ABC’s content division was renamed ABC Screen and now includes a newly created digital content department.
McPhee will start at the ABC on 8 September.
