Creative communications agency Thrive PR & Communications has made three promotions across its Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland offices.
Thrive has appointed long-term Thrive leader and boomerang Sophie Maguire to head its Melbourne operations, while Kyra Shakspeare and Lwindi Ellis have been elevated to lead the Brisbane and Auckland offices respectively.
The moves follow the recent launch of Acuity, Thrive’s corporate communications sister agency. The promotions reflect the agency’s continued investment in its people, culture and client partners across Australia and New Zealand.
“I could not be more confident or humbled by the smarts and energy that Sophie, Kyra and Lwindi bring to our leadership bench at Thrive. To have three standout female leaders, committed to their teams and clients’ success, is what every agency strives for with their leadership – consistency, connections and creative thinking drive these high-achieving PR women,” said Thrive and Acuity founder and CEO Leilani Abels.
“I truly never imagined I’d be in this position when I walked through the doors as a 21-year-old in 2008. I’ve had the opportunity to work with incredible people and brands, both internationally and here in Australia, but I’ve always found my way back to Thrive. It really does feel like a full-circle moment, and I’m genuinely excited to help shape the next chapter of our Melbourne office while building on the strong foundations already in place,” said Maguire.
“There’s an unapologetic momentum up here in Queensland. We have shed the reputation of being a secondary market. We stand on its own two feet, and brands want an authentic presence here. Brisbane 2032 isn’t just a distant sporting event on the calendar, it’s an active, six-year golden runway that is fundamentally transforming how businesses talk about legacy, impact and global relevance today. Our role is to be the ultimate cheat code for clients on that journey, helping local brands scale onto the world stage and ensuring global brands show up with real local cred,” said Shakspeare.
“I was fortunate to have already worked with Thrive for six months before stepping into this role, which gave me a proper runway to understand the agency culture and get to know our global clients like BYD and Afterpay, so when the chance came to take the reins of the NZ business, I jumped at it. Thrive’s an ambitious, creative and forward-thinking agency and I’m delighted to be driving its business here in Aotearoa,” said Ellis.
