The former general manager and head of content at TikTok, Simon Bates, has announced his move to Nine, stepping into a newly created leadership role.
Bates was one of the first employees at TikTok Australia, where he lead content across Australia and New Zealand with responsibility for creators, publishers and content partnerships.
He was also part of the team that drove unprecedented growth to over 1 billion users globally and 10.5 million in Australia.
Taking to LinkedIn on Monday to announce his new role, he reflected on his five-year tenure at TikTok, describing it as an “incredible chapter”.
“Being part of ByteDance during such a hyper-growth phase was a genuinely unique experience – constant momentum, massive scale, and no shortage of challenges,” he said.
“I’m particularly proud of helping grow the AUNZ community to over 12 million users. Working alongside brilliant global teams, publisher partners, and creators shaping culture has been a career highlight.”
Bates joins Nine as director of social media and off-platform, where he will lead a new centre of excellence within the company’s streaming and broadcast division.
“The opportunity to connect our world-class content with audiences across third-party platforms for Stan, 9Now and the Nine Network is incredibly exciting,” he shared on LinkedIn.
“From the Olympics, NRL, Premier League and rugby, to cultural staples like The Block, MAFS and 60 Minutes, alongside an incredible slate of Stan Originals, the IP is second to none.”
