Year in Review 2025: Annabelle Wilkinson

Every year, StopPress catches up with a group of industry leaders from across Aotearoa to talk about the year that was. From the highlights and the lowlights to their favourite foods, fruits and Christmas traditions, they give us a little insight into 2025 as well as a look forward to 2026.

Annabelle Wilkinson is managing director of Together’s Wellington office.

Together has had a big year – including the Auckland team moving into a new space and opening a new office in Wellington. Tell us what impact both of these has had on your business.

The Auckland crew are so happy in their new whare – the view from the office is next level and it’s refreshing looking across at the water and seeing the boats and the Harbour Bridge. The office is beautifully designed by Wonder Group. We’re also lucky to be able to call Swashies our Auckland local.

Georgia McNaught and I have had fun setting up shop in Wellingon. It’s been exciting having people reach out to congratulate us and re-connecting with the wider industry.

I’ve only been here since August but I’ve heard and noticed the positive impact having two intertwined offices has been on our people even though they’re 656 kms apart. The teams in both offices have done a fabulous job to ensure Wellington doesn’t feel like a satellite office and we are one team.

You picked up many accolades and new accounts in 2025. What was the highlight for you?

Between signing my contract at Together and starting work the team won Contact Energy and Goodman Fielder. Both are fabulous Kiwi brands who are now working with New Zealand’s biggest independent agency as great partners and we feel like we’re an extension of their teams.

Having only being at Together since August, working on the initial stages of the Kiwibank pitch was a real highlight. The process inspired me and made me realise I’d made the right decision as well as understanding how Together does Together. It’s pretty impressive. Having customer and data at the core of our offering for clients is a real advantage. The Kiwibank team were fun and transparent during the process – the values we share and importance of being New Zealand owned businesses shone through.

The other highlight would have been hitting the stage at the IABs and winning agency of the year, I mean being a newbie I can’t really claim it, but I was at the right table!

What are you most looking forward to in 2026?

Looking forward to more growth at Together Wellington! We have a new team member starting in January and hopefully will add a couple more Together superstars during the year. I look forward to building on the foundations of what’s been created in the tech space and continuing to nurture both our clients and the amazing talent that we have at Together.

What trends are you watching closely as we head into 2026?

I’m not sure it’s a trend, but we’ll be watching closely how the government’s new procurement rules that came into effect on December 1 are executed in 2026. We marked the change by celebrating the date as “Independents’ Day” as the changes should be really positive for NZ-owned agencies like Together. Let’s see that happen!

How did you feel about AI this year?

Inspired, excited … and grateful. I arrived into Together feeling like AI was another of those promises – “slideware” that looks great in a pitch but don’t really work in Aotearoa. But I’ve been blown away by the “Tahi” platform that Together have been building for the last three years. It’s a genuinely joined-up data ecosystem, built in NZ for NZ, that’s enabling custom agents and tools, and we’re only just getting started! 

Straight away I was using AI-powered tools that actually work and are being used every day.

Quick fire five:

Favourite Christmas tradition?

Getting to Riversdale Beach to our family bach that my family have been going to since since the early 70s, jumping on the back of my grandad’s 1960s International tractor, heading down the beach to put the crayfish pots out and coming home to cook meals over the open fire.

Summer or winter?

Can I say both? Extremes only – either really hot in the waves or really cold with heaps of fresh powder and two planks strapped to my feet!

Favourite place in Aotearoa?

Treble Cone on a bluebird day. The view from Treble Cone looking down over Lake Wānaka on a clear day is surreal. Also helps that RealNZ who own Treble Cone is a client of Together’s and it’s been so cool to see how their family owned business operates and why they’re so successful  – amazing people.

What is top of your to be read or to be watched list?

I’ve watched Love Actually with my family already this December but I’m sure I’ll be made to watch it again.

Coffee or tea?

Tea – Earl Grey, not too strong and heaps of milk. Or an extra hot coconut matcha. Being a female in my mid 40s my days of coffee are done.

The post Year in Review 2025: Annabelle Wilkinson appeared first on stoppress.co.nz.

stoppress.co.nz