The social media company’s Australia and New Zealand general manager Brett Armstrong and marketing lead Denny Handlin are leaving the social media company, according to several sources with knowledge of the moves.
Armstrong joined TikTok five years ago as one of the first senior hires for the Chinese social media company’s move to Australia.
His initial role was GM of global business solutions, heading up its advertising business including brand partnerships, client solutions, business marketing and sales operations.
He formed a leadership team with Lee Hunter – who was GM of ANZ – until the latter left TikTok mid-2024 without being replaced. This left Armstrong as the most senior leader in the region for the app that is used 8.5 million Australians each day.
Armstrong is Google’s former New Zealand country manager and head of media agencies in the ANZ region.
News of Armstrong’s departure has been briefed to businesses that work with the social media company; while TikTok said: “we don’t comment on individual staff”, after B&T published this article.
Another senior executive on his way out is ANZ head of global business marketing Denny Handlin. He is being succeeded by Sushmitha ‘Sushie’ Ghatty, TikTok’s marketing strategy and operations lead.
Handlin is another early joiner of TikTok Australia from Facebook. He began as a creative strategist before rising to head of creative lab and head of global business marketing.
There has been movement and uncertainty at TikTok ever since the US passed a law that would force the Chinese-owned company to spin off its US business, which was introduced under the Biden administration, but delayed under US president Trump for a further two months.
