We Are Social Australia’s head Suzie Shaw moves to APAC role
The Australian CEO of We Are Social, Suzie Shaw, has been promoted, taking on the APAC CEO position.
Shaw has been with the agency for a decade, first joining in 2015 as managing director.
During her time as the local head, she has grown the Sydney team to over 60 people, led award-winning campaigns, and has worked with brands including Samsung, Audi, Tiktok, and Adidas.
Her expanded remit across the Asia-Pacific region will see her responsible for driving the agency’s growth, fostering regional partnerships, and strengthening capabilities.
Shaw has also been tasked with driving innovation to meet evolving brand needs as they navigate an increasingly complex social and cultural landscape.
Suzie Shaw
“I’m excited to step into this role and work alongside our incredibly talented teams across Asia-Pacific,” Shaw said in a media release on Thursday.
“We have a huge opportunity to help brands not just join the conversation but lead it in a way that truly resonates with their communities.
“Nowhere is this better reflected than the success Patt and the team in Thailand have had so far. Their social expertise in subcultures and innovative technology, combined with extremely impressive creative credentials is compelling, and resonating with forward-thinking brands.
“The growth from the team so far has been exceptional, and there is a lot more to come. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and pushing the boundaries of what social-first creativity can achieve.”
She is also part of the agency’s executive management board, reporting to global group CEO Toby Southgate.
With the news of Shaw’s promotion comes the announcement of a new APAC office launch and other regional appointments. We Are Social has expanded into Bangkok, Thailand, with inaugural clients including L’Oréal, KFC, Warner Bros Discovery, and T&B Media.
The Bangkok office has a headcount of 19 across creative, strategy, PR, influencer, and client services. It is led by MD Patt Nitikarn and ECD Nutchanun Chiaphanumas.
Nitikarn will report to Naiyen Wang, who has been promoted from MD of Singapore to MD of Southeast Asia.
Wang will oversee the agency’s presence in the region, reporting to Shaw. She will identify growth opportunities and build close relationships between teams to service regional clients.
Nitikarn and Shaw
Nitikarn said in the release: “What’s really exciting for us as a team is being able to take the global vision of We Are Social – to lead the evolution of marketing – and make it culturally relevant for our market, whether that’s using cutting-edge technology to engage with consumers and subculture communities, or bringing creativity to always-on social.”
Southgate said these moves mark an exciting new era for We Are Social.
“Suzie’s exceptional track record and passion make her the perfect leader for our Asia-Pacific region,” he said in the media release.
“Likewise, Naiyen has been instrumental in establishing and growing our team in Singapore, and will be crucial in connecting our teams across Southeast Asia. And Patt is someone whose work speaks for itself.”
He claims We Are Social is the “world’s leading” creative social agency, and said that with the new leaders at the helm, the agency’s position will “only continue to strengthen”.
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Lauren McNamara was the associate editor at Mumbrella. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS. She left Mumbrella in August 2025.
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