Tik Tok opens Australian office with former Google execs at the helm
Social media platform Tik Tok is opening an Australian office, led by former Google execs Lee Hunter and Brett Armstrong.
Hunter will be leading the team as general manager, focusing on implementing safety policies and resources for the region. Armstrong is the general manager of global business solutions, overseeing brand partnerships, client solutions, business marketing and sales operations.
Lee Hunter and Brett Armstrong will be heading up Tik Tok’s Australian office
Vanessa Pappas, general manager of Tik Tok for the US and ANZ, said Hunter and Armstrong will drive the platform’s growth in Australia.
“We are delighted by the positive response to Tik Tok in Australia and have been inspired by the remarkable creativity across Australia. As we continue to build a positive and safe environment for users, our focus is on hiring the right local talent and strengthening our local leadership team to best support the Australian Tik Tok community,” Pappas said.
“I am confident in the management team we’ve assembled to drive Tik Tok’s growth and opportunity in Australia for creators and brands, and look forward to furthering the incredible creativity of our Australian community.”
Between 2014 and 2016 Hunter was the head of marketing innovation and strategy for Google in Asia Pacific. He has also spent time at YouTube as global head of brand and head of consumer and partner marketing.
Most recently Hunter was an advisor at Talisium.
Armstrong was Google’s country manager for New Zealand and its head of media agencies for ANZ. All up, he spent over seven years at Google, first joining as industry manager.
Armstrong said Tik Tok was “all about spreading joy and positivity”.
“I’m incredibly excited to continue to share this ethos with Australian brands and partners. We’ve got some fantastic campaigns underway, with results exceeding expectations already, so I’m really looking forward to growing our business offering from strength to strength locally,” Armstrong said.
Hunter added: “I’ve been truly inspired watching Australia’s unique and creative spirit shine through on Tik Tok, especially during this challenging time. I love that Tik Tok has helped bring Australian communities together when we’ve needed it most, whether it’s having fun at home, sharing how we’re feeling, or expressing ideas and messages that need to be heard.
“I’m excited to build on this outpouring of positive, diverse and creative content, lead our growing local team, and support our brilliant community of Australian users, creators and partners.”
Other members of the Australian team are Brent Thomas as director of public policy, and Arjun Narayan Bettadapur Manjunath as head of trust and safety, based in Singapore.
Google is into censorship, especially of Christian data and returns for searches give all the left wing stuff on searches before what you really want. It is disappointing that google execs are going to be at the helm. Same old stuff over again I suppose. Anyway I don’t participate in this social media stuff. It is all too toxic.
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Tik Tok hires 3 men to lead biz
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Go forth, and data capture.
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A comment purely to stir a reaction for what end? Would you prefer 3 women? 2 and 1? With such a small team how would your sensitive mind and agenda best be soothed? Back in your box.
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How long before it gets banned? Already banned in India and HK and the US are threatening to so…..seems like a matter of time.
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