Sound Story acquires The Comms Department Strategic communications and reputation consultancy Sound Story has announced the acquisition of The Comms Department, marking a significant expansion of its independent communications offering. The Comms Department will continue to operate as a distinct specialist brand alongside Sound Story. While Sound Story remains focused on strategic communications and reputation for creative industry leaders and challengers, The Comms Department will specialise in crisis and issues management, change and transformation, mergers and acquisitions, executive advisory and media training.  As part of the acquisition, The Comms Department’s founder, Bec Brown, will join as a strategic advisor across both businesses, working with Sound Story founders and managing partners Jake Challenor and Brian Lawlor, along with senior leaders Jane Elliott, Zanda Wilson and General Manager Jono Harrison. The move follows a year of collaboration between the fi

Allan Hunt calls out brands seeking comms support Allan Hunt, account director at Archetype, has issued a callout to brands seeking communications support, highlighting Archetype's global capabilities and positioning the agency as a partner for building “magnetic brands”.  In a LinkedIn post, Hunt encouraged prospective clients to connect with the agency. Hunt joined Archetype as an account director recently. He was a senior account manager and an account director at Havas Red before joining Archetype.  Hunt worked across Hotwire Australia, Weber Shandwick and One Green Bean previously. Isabelle Ronksley steps up at Pureprofile Isabelle Ronksley has announced that she has been promoted to senior account manager at Pureprofile.  She joined Pureprofile as an account executive in 2024 and was an account manager most recently.  Ronksley worked as an executive production assistant at Sound Film Studio previously.  OpenAI hires consumer a

Nicole Reaney picks up the baton as IPREX APAC President Global communications group, IPREX, has appointed Nicole Reaney its new APAC President. Reaney succeeds Anu Gupta of APRW, who is based in Singapore. In a LinkedIn post, she expressed her excitement about the role, stating, “Excited to share that on top of InsideOut Public Relations, I'll be President APAC for IPREX Global Communication. Taking over the role from the amazing Anu Gupta, who is such a brilliant leader.” Reaney is the CEO of InsideOut PR. She was a corporate affairs manager at Colgate-Palmolive for six years previously. ANZ Bank seeks a comms coordinator ANZ Bank is looking to hire a Melbourne-based comms coordinator.  The role involves delivering and supporting communications programs for Group Communications (T&C, Finance, Risk, Legal and Internal Audit), to enhance and protect the reputation of the bank.  The candidate will work under the supervision of the senior communic

Via strengthens comms team with senior appointments Marketing and communications agency, Via, has appointed Jose Verbeek as communications director and Kate Evans as senior account manager.   Verbeek will strengthen the firm’s corporate, financial and investor communications solutions and provide strategic media relations support to clients across Via’s client groups, and Evans will focus on the company’s integrated global marketing and communications capabilities. Tala Booker, CEO and Founder of Via, expressed confidence in the appointments, saying, "We know our clients are increasingly looking for senior, high-touch partners who understand how to weave together commercial acumen with brand and reputation. We partner with our clients in high-stakes situations, where pace matters but judgment prevails. I’m confident that Jose and Kate bring discernment, bold thinking and passion to how we show up and deliver for our clients." Evans expr

Dylan Quinnell joins the Global Strategic Communications Council  Dylan Quinnell takes up a new role as senior associate, electrification at Global Strategic Communications Council (GSCC).  He was most recently a media consultant at Beyond Zero Emissions.  Quinnell is also a strategic advisor at FrontRunners Athletes, where he provides pro-bono strategic media and communications advice to FrontRunners to help them in their mission of taking sport from the sidelines to the centre court on climate action. He worked in communications roles across various groups in Australia, New Zealand, London, China, Germany and Indonesia, including ENGIE AU, Climate Council, Department of Justice and Community Safety, Oxfam Australia, CARE, Berry Street, World Vision New Zealand, ICLEI, CIFOR and as a news intern at Televisi Republik Indonesia and Television New Zealand. India S joins The Royal Sydney Golf Club Marketing and communications professional India S has announced tha

Alexander Clampett joins Foxtel Group Alexander Clampett has joined Foxtel Group as a communications manager of entertainment.  He was most recently a corporate communications specialist at SBS.  Clampett’s previous stints include communications roles at HERO and Original Spin. Sophie Payne steps up at Archetype Sophie Payne has announced that she has been promoted to head of communications at Archetype.  She was most recently a principal consultant at Archetype for over two years. Payne previously worked at Nelson Bostock UNLIMITED, Google, Babel PR and The Tab and interned at Citypress and Salt Communications.

Persephone Walton-Clark takes up the baton as COO at TMC PR Persephone Walton-Clark has officially announced that she has stepped into the role of chief operating officer and head of strategy at TMC PR. In her new role, she will lead the agency's operations and strategic direction across business growth, team structure, client partnerships, and integrated communications.  She wrote that she was excited about the role, calling it a “right long-term fit”. In addition, she will continue working with Nail Concrete as a brand and communications director, spearheading their launch.  She was consulting across Sydney’s beauty, wellness and lifestyle space for over a year.  Previously, she worked across various PR agencies in London, including Capsule Communications, Ogilvy, Toni&Guy, Talk PR, Kilpatrick PR, Mission and ModusBPCM. Carla Montemayor joins Hyde and Seek as senior PR specialist Hyde & Seek has welcomed Carla Montemayor as a se