WPP Media Australia & New Zealand has bolstered its social media, content creation and influencer marketing capabilities with the promotion of Shivani Maharaj to Chief Creator Officer and Toby Maclachlan appointed as Head of Creative Strategy.
Maharaj was formerly Chief Content & Partnerships Officer at WPP Media agency brand, Wavemaker, and has been recognised with media trade awards, industry accolades and has been a Cannes Lions Juror in Social & Influencer and sits on the AiMCO Guiding Council.
She will work with the teams within WPP Media agency brands Mindshare, Wavemaker and EssenceMediacom to shape how WPP Media’s clients’ brands connect with culture in real time. Her focus will be on elevating creator-led storytelling and redefining how influence works in the new media landscape.
Shivani Maharaj: ‘Influence is where it’s at, and there is a huge opportunity ahead of us to scale it. At WPP media, we do more than influence culture, we creator it, driving innovation and creativity on behalf of our clients.’
Maclachlan joins from Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), where he was Head of Strategy and Product. He lead the delivery of creative and innovative experiences designed to deeply connect brands with consumers. Prior to that he was at Initiative and previously spent more than a decade in creative agencies.
At WPP Media, Maclachlan will drive industry leading creativity and cutting-edge thinking, work closely with the teams within the brands Mindshare, Wavemaker and EssenceMediacom, and WPP Media’s central Influencer business and bespoke tech platform.
Both Maharaj and Maclachlan will also have a particular focus supporting WPP Beauty Tech Labs, a dedicated influencer marketing and advocacy agency created to enhance L’Oreal’s business outcomes. L’Oreal recently announced it had appointed WPP Beauty Tech Labs across Australia and New Zealand consolidating work for all 32 of its iconic brands, including CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, L’Oréal Paris, Kiehl’s, YSL, Lancôme, NYX, Maybelline, Redken, under one agency.
Toby Maclachlan: ‘It’s really energising to explore and help shape the future of entertainment, influence, and brand with WPP Media’s teams, clients, and partners.’
Since launching its influencer business in Australia in 2022, WPP Media has been at the forefront of the fast-growing and dynamic industry providing clients cross-channel, and data-driven influencer marketing capabilities and expanding its relationship with platforms and creators.
The creation of these new roles signifies WPP Media’s commitment to scaling creator and influencer capabilities across the business, to continue to deliver high-impact campaigns that resonate with audiences across diverse media platforms.
Aimee Buchanan, CEO of WPP Media Australia & New Zealand, said: “Since launching our dedicated influencer business four years ago, we have seen its rapid expansion and the impact it can have on clients’ businesses.
“The way consumers engage with brands and creators is being redefined and we are thrilled to see Shivani and Toby take on these roles to help scale influence by WPP Media and set us up for the next era in this exciting space. Their complementary skillsets, extensive experience and strategic vision will be key in expanding our creative capabilities so that we can continue to deliver for our clients.”
Aimee Buchanan: ‘Their complementary skillsets, extensive experience and strategic vision will be key in expanding our creative capabilities so that we can continue to deliver for our clients.’
Maharaj said of her new role: “The future of brand-building is collaborative, social-first, and creatively fearless, and I’m thrilled to help lead the way. Influence is where it’s at, and there is a huge opportunity ahead of us to scale it. At WPP media, we do more than influence culture, we creator it, driving innovation and creativity on behalf of our clients.”
Maclachlan of his appointment: “The way brands work with creators is changing, for good, and it’s really energising to explore and help shape the future of entertainment, influence, and brand with WPP Media’s teams, clients, and partners.”
In 2023, WPP acquired Goat, a leading global Influencer agency which fast-tracked to adoption of cutting-edge AI-powered and data driven influencer technology. Last year, WPP Media Australia launched an Inclusive Influencer tool designed to remove unconscious bias and reimagine beauty standards within creator campaigns.
The appointments to the newly created roles demonstrate WPP Media’s commitment to delivering innovation and creative excellence for clients in a new media world.
This comes as spend on Influencer Advertising is forecast to reach AUD$920m in 2025, according to Statista Market Insights from October 2024, and creator-generated revenue expected to hit US$184.9 billion this year, up 20% from 2024 according to the 2025 This Year Next Year Report.
Top image: Shivani Maharaj and Toby Maclachlan