Slingshot is cementing its expansion in Melbourne after winning media duties for SPC Ardmona, hiring former oOh! Media strategy director Kelly McIlwraith as General Manager.

“It’s an important hire for Slingshot, Kelly’s role is crucial to front and grow the business in Melbourne,” said Simon Rutherford, CEO at Slingshot Media.

“We’ve been in market prior to winning the SPC business talking to a number of potential candidates, however Kelly’s background made her the perfect fit for us. She has got a diverse range of experience. She started her own business, worked in strategic roles in agencies on big accounts such as Holden and she has media owner and sales experience, having worked in a strategic development role for oOh! Media. Through her oOh! Media role she has fantastic retail/shopper experience and the fact that she has been living in Melbourne for 10 years, were all factors in us hiring her,” Rutherford added.

Kelly started her media career in the UK working in agencies such as J Walter Thompson and Mediaedge:CIA. After moving to Australia she landed a strategy role on the Holden account, before heading media owner side where she started a strategy division at Network Outdoor (now oOh! Media).

At oOh! Kelly played an integral role building what is now the largest retail out of home offering from the ground up and also managed the strategy, retail specialist and experiential teams.

Kelly said: “I’m delighted to be joining Slingshot and help shape its expansion in Melbourne and work with foundation client SPC. It’s an agency I’ve been following for a while and am looking forward to working with the team to match the success it has had in Sydney.”

“We are really excited to have someone of Kelly’s caliber as our General Manager,” Rutherford added. “She has demonstrated a real pioneering and innovative approach in her previous roles which aligns well with Slingshot’s mission to take brands, ideas and people to places previously thought impossible. Led by Kelly, I’m sure we’ll be able to do that together with our Melbourne office.”