Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat, has appointed Chris Lewis as its inaugural talent partnerships lead for Australia and New Zealand, underscoring its growing commitment to supporting creators in the region.
In his new role, Lewis will report to Jim Shepherd, Snap’s director of global content partnerships. He will spearhead strategy development, creator outreach, and onboarding efforts while forging innovative and impactful partnerships with local public figures and content creators. His mission includes inspiring creators to harness Snapchat’s tools to unlock their creativity and maximize opportunities for brand partnerships and monetisation. Additionally, Lewis will collaborate with Snap’s global content partnerships team to refine the platform’s editorial vision for regional content.
Having served as Snap’s senior creative producer for APAC for the past five years, Lewis brings extensive experience in managing productions across the region, including augmented reality campaigns, sponsored videos, and influencer integrations. Drawing on over 15 years of expertise in branded content, campaign management, media partnerships, and talent management, Lewis is well-positioned to help local creators grow their communities and careers. His efforts will also open new doors for advertisers to connect with Snapchat’s audience of more than 9.5 million users across Australia and New Zealand.
Says Ryan Ferguson, managing director for Snap Inc. in Australia and New Zealand:
“The appointment of Chris as our first talent partnerships lead for ANZ is just one example of how we’re investing further in the growth of our creator community across the Tasman. And I’m really excited about the new opportunities that building out this team will offer advertisers in Australia and New Zealand to connect authentically with our highly engaged Snapchat community via local creators.”
Snapchat offers significant opportunities for Kiwi and Australian creators, particularly during a time of uncertainty in the content creation landscape. Over the past year, the number of creators sharing publicly on Snapchat has more than tripled, with their content resonating strongly with the platform’s community. As one of the few platforms in ANZ providing diverse avenues for creators to monetise their content, grow their audiences, and enhance their brand visibility, Snapchat continues to stand out. Snap remains dedicated to enhancing and expanding its rewards programs, making it even easier for creators to achieve success and be recognised for their authentic contributions.
Says Lewis: “As we kick off 2025, I’m really looking forward to connecting with and supporting our growing, thriving and talented local community of Snap Stars. I’m also passionate about helping Aussie and Kiwi creators who may not have engaged with Snapchat or haven’t yet found their footing on the platform to feel confident about maximising all of the creative content creation tools and monetisation opportunities Snapchat has to offer.”
In December, Snapchat introduced a new unified Monetisation Program designed to integrate ads into creators’ Stories and extended Spotlight videos. Starting February 1, 2025, eligible creators will have the opportunity to monetise Spotlight videos exceeding one minute in length.
Snapchat’s community continues to expand across the Tasman, with over 8 million monthly users in Australia and 1.5 million in New Zealand. To support this growth, Snap’s local team is expanding, with new roles available in sales, creative production, and legal.
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