Melanie Spencer shortlisted for CEO of the Year in the 2025 Women Leading Change Awards
Melanie Spencer, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of full-funnel creative and media agency, Thompson Spencer, has been shortlisted for Campaign Asia-Pacific’s Women Leading Change Awards, in the prestigious CEO of the Year category – proudly standing as the only Australasian recognised in this hotly-contested field.
Honouring extraordinary women shaping the future of the industry, the Women Leading Change Awards are in their ninth year, shining a spotlight on innovative leaders and change-makers who break barriers, defy stereotypes, and challenge the status-quo.
Never one to sit on her hands, the last year has been a particularly huge one, even by Spencer’s standards. Not only did she complete the bedding-in of multiple separate business units to compile a cohesive and comprehensive offering of specialists under one Thompson Spencer brand, but International offices were opened with boots now on the ground in Australia. As well as a ground-breaking merge with performance agency, Reason, was undertaken – making Thompson Spencer one of the largest independent agencies in New Zealand.
Spencer is widely recognised as a champion of innovation and change in the marketing industry, with a staunch commitment to building teams of people who feel supported, challenged, and empowered. Under her leadership, Thompson Spencer has carved out a unique position as a full-funnel, full-noise agency that is a true mixologist of creativity and commercial nous, with their socially-led, ‘flip the model’ strategy hitting it out of the park for clients time and time again.
The shortlisting in the CEO of the Year category is a reflection of Spencer’s unshakable faith in backing the might and impact of an agency that holds its own against the heavyweights…and then some.
Says Spencer: “It’s such an honor to be shortlisted, an honour that is amplified even more by being recognised as the only Kiwi or Aussie alongside such incredible international CEOs. This year has been extraordinary for the whole team and our clients, and I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together.”
The winner will be announced at the Women Leading Change event in Singapore on the 26th of May.
Other individuals that have made the cut in various shortlists from Australia and NZ include:
Business Leader:
Imogen Hewitt, Publicis Groupe
Louise Romeo, Starcom Australia
Digital Transformational Leader:
Bonnie Dodemaide, iProspect
Diversity & Inclusion Champion:
Luke Amasi, iProspect
Emerging Leader:
Emily Cook, dentsu Queensland
Game Changer of the Year:
Leigh Wood, Nani Creative
HR Management Champion:
Jacinta Munro, Atomic 212
Pauly Grant, Publicis Groupe
Rising Star
Lilli Lo Russo, Hogarth
Pawena Kaniah, iProspect
Vision Leader
Jacquie Alley, The Media Store
Philippa NoileaTani, Wavemaker Australia and New Zealand
View the full shortlist here.
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