WPP Media confirms chief creator officer appointment; announces new head of creative strategy
WPP Media has officially confirmed Shivani Maharaj as its chief creator officer, while revealing that Toby Maclachlan is its new head of creative strategy.
The announcement:
WPP Media Australia & New Zealand continues to redefine and expand the capabilities of its social media, content creation and influencer marketing business with the appointment of two senior leaders. Shivani Maharaj has been promoted to chief creator officer and Toby Maclachlan has been appointed as head of creative strategy.
These newly created roles demonstrate WPP Media’s commitment to delivering innovation and creative excellence for clients in a new media world. Ad spending in the Influencer Advertising market in Australia is forecast to reach AUD$920m in 2025 (Statista). Globally, WPP Media forecasts more than half of content-driven advertising revenue in 2025 will come from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels. Creator-generated revenue will hit US$184.9 billion this year, up 20% from 2024, and is expected to more than double to $376.6 billion by 2030, according to its latest This Year Next Year Report, published June 2025.
Maharaj was formerly chief content & partnerships officer at WPP Media agency brand, Wavemaker. She has been recognised in the B&T Women in Media Awards, Campaign’s Women To Watch, B&T Best of the Best, has been a Cannes Lions Juror in Social & Influencer and sits on the AiMCO Guiding Council.
Sitting at the intersection of social strategy, influence marketing, and creativity, in her new role, Maharaj will be working with the teams within WPP Media agency brands Mindshare, Wavemaker and EssenceMediacom to shape how clients’ brands connect with culture in real time. Her focus will be on elevating creator-led storytelling and redefining how influence works in the new media landscape.
Maclachlan joined from Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), where he was head of strategy and product, leading the delivery of creative and innovative experiences designed to deeply connect brands with consumers. Prior to that he was at Initiative and previously spent more than a decade in creative agencies.
At WPP Media he will be instrumental in driving industry-leading creativity and cutting-edge thinking, working closely with the teams within Mindshare, Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, and WPP Media’s central Influencer business and bespoke tech platform.
Both Maharaj and Maclachlan will also have a particular focus supporting WPP Beauty Tech Labs, a dedicated influencer marketing and advocacy agency created to enhance L’Oréal’s business outcomes. L’Oréal recently appointed WPP Beauty Tech Labs across Australia and New Zealand, consolidating work for all 32 of its iconic brands, including CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, L’Oréal Paris, Kiehl’s, YSL, Lancôme, NYX, Maybelline, and Redken, under one agency.
Since launching its influencer business in Australia in 2022, WPP Media has been at the forefront of the fast-growing and dynamic industry, providing clients cross-channel and data-driven influencer marketing capabilities and expanding its relationship with platforms and creators. The creation of these new roles signifies WPP Media’s commitment to scaling creator and influencer capabilities across the business, to continue to deliver high-impact campaigns that resonate with audiences across diverse media platforms.
Aimee Buchanan, CEO of WPP Media Australia & New Zealand, says:
“Since launching our dedicated influencer business four years ago, we have seen its rapid expansion and the impact it can have on clients’ businesses. The way consumers engage with brands and creators is being redefined and we are thrilled to see Shivani and Toby take on these roles to help scale influence by WPP Media and set us up for the next era in this exciting space. Their complementary skillsets, extensive experience and strategic vision will be key in expanding our creative capabilities so that we can continue to deliver for our clients.”Shivani Maharaj says:
“The future of brand-building is collaborative, social-first, and creatively fearless, and I’m thrilled to help lead the way. Influence is where it’s at, and there is a huge opportunity ahead of us to scale it. At WPP Media, we do more than influence culture, we creator it, driving innovation and creativity on behalf of our clients.”Toby Maclachlan says:
“The way brands work with creators is changing, for good, and it’s really energising to explore and help shape the future of entertainment, influence, and brand with WPP Media’s teams, clients, and partners.”As WPP Media charts the future, it is doubling down, investing boldly in data and social media tech, pioneering content creation, and redefining end-to-end influencer marketing to drive meaningful engagement and results.
In 2023, WPP acquired Goat, a leading global influencer agency which fast-tracked the adoption of cutting-edge AI-powered and data-driven influencer technology. Last year, WPP Media Australia launched an Inclusive Influencer tool designed to remove unconscious bias and reimagine beauty standards within creator campaigns.
Source: WPP Media
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