Sarah O’Leary returns to Initiative Australia as Melbourne Managing Director

Initiative Australia has announced the return of Sarah O’Leary to the business as Managing Director of its Melbourne office, bringing back a highly regarded leader to the agency at a key time for its Victorian operations.

O’Leary rejoins Initiative as a “boomeranger”, having previously led Rufus, the agency’s bespoke Amazon offering. She departed in early 2025 following her relocation to Melbourne, most recently serving as Chief Client Partner at Zentith.

Her career also includes senior roles at Atomic and Havas, building a reputation for strong client leadership underpinned by deep expertise across planning and trading.

As a people-first leader, O’Leary is known for building high-performing teams and strong client partnerships, aligning closely with Initiative’s culture-first operating model.

Her appointment reflects the agency’s continued focus on leadership, team development, and delivering growth for clients.

Says Paige Wheaton, National Managing Director of Initiative Australia: “You don’t always get the chance to bring someone back like this, so we’re incredibly lucky to have Sarah rejoin us. She knows Initiative inside out.

“She’s a natural leader who brings energy, honesty and real commercial instinct to the table, and I couldn’t think of a better person to lead Initiative in Melbourne.”

Of her return to the business, O’Leary says: “Opportunities like this don’t come along often. I’ve watched Omnicom Oceania and Omnicom Media’s evolution closely, and the chance to be part of what the business is building across the region was incredibly compelling.

“The ambition is clear; the team is exceptional and there is genuine momentum behind the vision. I’m excited to get started and help drive the next phase of growth.”

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