Hypetap expands into Sydney, names new managing partner
Influencer marketing agency Hypetap has appointed former Whitegrey managing partner Shane Holmes to lead its newly established Sydney office.
He will build and grow the office, which complements Hypetap’s existing operations in Melbourne. The Sydney expansion hopes to strengthen the agency’s national footprint, and better serve clients based in the city.
Holmes joins Hypetap after four years with Whitegrey, now AKQA. He joined Whitegrey in 2021 as a group account director, before stepping into the managing partner role in 2023.
(L-R): Bryce Coombes and Shane Holmes
Last year, the agency was absorbed by AKQA globally, in an effort to expand the agency’s operations, particularly across Australia, the UAE, Italy, and Belgium. As a result, Holmes became AKQA’s group client partner.
Prior to that, he held various roles at Che Proximity, FCB Canada, and Grip Limited (now Dentsu). He has expertise in digital transformation, client leadership, and strategic growth, according to a release announcing his appointment.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shane to Hypetap’s leadership team. His deep experience and proven track record in driving innovation and client success align perfectly with our vision,” Bryce Coombe, managing director of Hypetap Australia, said in the release.
“The launch of our Sydney office, under Shane’s leadership, is a direct response to the increasing demand from our Sydney-based clients and we believe Shane’s expertise will be invaluable as we continue to deliver exceptional results for our clients. I look forward to working with Shane and his new team.”
Holmes, who will report to Coombes, said he has “long admired” Hypetap’s work, and the opportunity to lead Sydney felt “incredibly exciting”.
“I look forward to working closely with the talented Hypetap team to expand our presence, build strong relationships, and continue to elevate the standard of influencer marketing in Australia,” he said in the release.
Last year, Hypetap also established a presence in London, through a strategic partnership with advertising agency Bicycle London. The agency helped Bicycle create an influencer division, Ripple, which offers strategic consulting, data-driven insights, influencer-specific paid media campaigns, and platform-native creative direction.
It also introduced a new offering, Hypetap Intelligence, last year. The platform provides clients with insights into target audiences, competitive landscapes, and the effectiveness of their influencer marketing campaigns. According to a release at the time, it analyses over 10 billion data points within consumer behaviour to decipher trends.
“By analysing billions of data points, we can help brands measure the relevance, context, and cut-through of their campaigns, ensuring they are resonating with their target audience and maximising their marketing investment to drive a commercial return,” Hypetap’s data science lead, Dr Melissa Gray, said at the time.
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Lauren McNamara is a freelance journalist contributing to Mumbrella. She previously spent three years at the publication, most recently as the associate editor. She first joined in 2022 after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS. She left her staff role at Mumbrella in August 2025.
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