Published on: August 17, 2026
Thrive PR & Communications has strengthened its senior leadership team across Australia and New Zealand with a series of appointments spanning its Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland offices.
Sophie Maguire has been named business lead for Thrive’s Melbourne operations. Having joined the agency in 2008, Maguire described the promotion as a “full-circle moment” in her career.
“I truly never imagined I’d be in this position when I walked through the doors as a 21-year-old in 2008. I’ve had the opportunity to work with incredible people and brands, both internationally and here in Australia, but I’ve always found my way back to Thrive,” she said.
“Melbourne is Australia’s cultural and sporting capital, and I see a huge opportunity for brands who want to be part of the conversations shaping culture.”
In Brisbane, Kyra Shakspeare has been promoted to business lead as Thrive looks to build on the office’s commercial momentum and capitalise on opportunities emerging ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We are building a sharp, infectious energy, zero fluff, and utterly indispensable team. I want our clients to view us less like a hired agency and more like their sharpest internal comms experts,” Shakspeare said.
“Brisbane 2032 isn’t just a distant sporting event on the calendar, it’s an active, six-year golden runway that is fundamentally transforming how businesses talk about legacy, impact and global relevance today.”
Meanwhile, Lwindi Ellis has been appointed head of PR for Thrive Aotearoa New Zealand. Ellis previously worked with Thrive for six months before taking on the leadership position.
“I was fortunate to have already worked with Thrive for six months before stepping into this role, which gave me a proper runway to understand the agency culture and get to know our global clients like BYD and Afterpay,” Ellis said.
“When the chance came to take the reins of the NZ business, I jumped at it. Thrive’s an ambitious, creative and forward-thinking agency and I’m delighted to be driving its business here in Aotearoa.”
The appointments come following the launch of Acuity Communications Advisory, Thrive’s corporate communications sister agency. Acuity focuses on corporate communications, public policy and issues management, with clients including BYD, Pearson and FedEx.
According to Leilani Abels, founder and CEO of Thrive and Acuity, the leadership changes further strengthen the agency’s regional capabilities.
“I could not be more confident or humbled by the smarts and energy that Sophie, Kyra and Lwindi bring to our leadership bench at Thrive,” Abels said.
“To have three standout female leaders, committed to their teams and clients’ success, is what every agency strives for with their leadership – consistency, connections and creative thinking drive these high-achieving PR women.”
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