Thompson Spencer’s Melanie Spencer only NZ winner in Women to Watch APAC 2026 Awards

Thompson Spencer Co-Founder and Group CEO Melanie Spencer has been named a winner in Campaign’s Women to Watch Asia Pacific 2026, the only New Zealander among 25 women recognised across the region.

The honour celebrates outstanding women shaping the future of marketing, advertising, media and PR, placing Spencer alongside leaders from markets including China, India, Singapore and Australia.

For Thompson Spencer, the recognition comes during a year in which Spencer has brought teams closer together, strengthened the agency’s foundations and attracted new talent, while backing local and international client wins.

Her focus has been on building Thompson Spencer as The Connection Agency, bringing strategy, creative, media, production, social, influencer, performance and technology together through one Golden Thread: connecting insight, ideas and execution to drive long-term growth for clients.

Spencer says the recognition belongs to the people around her: “This one’s not mine, it’s yours, you beautiful, incredibly talented bunch of humans. That was the first thing I said to our team, and I meant every word. I could not be more proud and in awe of them all, every single day.

“We’ve put a huge amount of energy into bringing our teams closer together and building the foundations for what comes next. Seeing our people back each other, grow in confidence and create brilliant work for our clients is what makes me proudest.

“To be recognised alongside such an impressive group of women across Asia Pacific is a huge honour. Being the only New Zealander makes it particularly special. There’s so much talent and ambition in this country, and I’m proud of what our team is taking to the world.”

In a congratulatory message to Spencer, Campaign Asia-Pacific’s Managing Director, Atifa Silk, highlighted the broader impact of her leadership: “With your leadership, we can build a future with fewer barriers for women and more opportunities for people who see the world from different perspectives. As a Women to Watch Asia Pacific winner, we hope you also feel proud and confident as a champion of change, and will continue to drive our industry forward in a positive way.”

Thompson Spencer’s international work includes campaigns for London City Airport, First Table in the UK and Musashi in the Middle East, alongside partnerships with New Zealand clients including Auckland Transport, Bupa and Noel Leeming.

The recognition adds to Thompson Spencer’s honours, including Gold for Australia/New Zealand Social Media Agency of the Year at Campaign Asia’s 2025 Agency of the Year Awards. Its client work is currently shortlisted across several awards programmes, including the Effie Awards and IAB New Zealand Digital Advertising Awards.

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