Thrive PR announces Executive Leadership Team appointments

Award-winning AUNZ independent agency, Thrive PR + Communications, has announced the appointment of its first Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

Three key appointments to Executive Director make-up the newly created female-led Executive Leadership Team. Appointments include Executive Directors Clare Basire, Snezna Kerekovic and Carol Qiu who will work with Thrive founder and Chief Executive Officer, Leilani Abels. 

Clare Basire, formerly General Manager of Thrive’s Sydney operations and an integral part of Thrive’s national leadership since 2017, will focus on driving the growth of both Thrive’s new and existing global and local brand portfolio as well as being the custodian of its Auckland and Sydney offices.

Snezna Kerekovic, who joined Thrive in 2020 after three decades in multi-national agencies, continues to direct Thrive’s People and Culture strategy and extends her remit to become custodian of the Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast operations.

Following nine years working with Thrive, Carol Qui has also cemented and extended her role at Thrive as Executive Director (Finance) which includes a remit across IT & legal. 

Leilani Abels, who founded Thrive in 2000, continues in her role as Chief Executive Officer with a focus on elevating the agency’s integrated services including digital, creative, innovation, business and purpose, and community. 

The ELT drives Thrive’s overarching strategy to deliver upon its vision and guide the agency’s mission to use communications to build brands and communities that thrive. 

“Consistent leadership has been key to Thrive’s growth over two decades. In turbulent economic times, you need stable executive leadership most. Elevating and identifying leaders from within the business, providing new opportunities and nurturing growth in AU and NZ. This starts at the top and filters through every level of our agency,” Abels says.

“Thrive delivers a unique intersection of communications to global and local brands bringing brand reputation (corporate communications), brand love (customer communications) and digital creative services together. Few PR agencies combine these services effectively under one agency umbrella. The ELT’s capabilities and clear responsibilities allow us to strengthen this high demand of services.”

Basire adds: “Thrive’s ELT represents leaders who have decades of combined experience in creative and strategic public relations roles. Helping brands to stay relevant and connected to their customers has never been more important. Our unique experience coupled with a genuine passion, energy and drive to be hands-on and involved with our client’s work sets us apart.” 

Kerekovic says: “As we continue to attract the best talent locally and from around the world, I’m committed to creating a sense of community that is centred around innovation. Thrive has built an incredible connected community based on shared values and diversity in thinking, inspired by an attitude of being limited by nothing. We are always looking at how we can do better for our people to create an agency that is very “un-agency.”

Qiu says: “During some of the toughest times in history for the industry, Thrive has outperformed the ANZ market growth trends, achieving a 20 per cent growth rate in fiscal years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Our commercial muscle allows us to continue to invest in our people and in resources that directly impact client service excellence. My role on the ELT is to continue to strengthen us commercially to compete with the best agencies in the world.” 

The ELT appointments come as part of a wider ‘agency-of-the-future’ review over the past twelve months in line with Thrive’s evolution strategy. 

“I am proud of Thrive’s history and all who have contributed to who we are today. This ELT and other leadership appointments soon to be announced have now set us up for the decade ahead in what promises to be a new era for the public relations industry and for Thrive in ANZ,” concluded Abels.

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