Thrive PR strengthens leadership as Excess Earned Attention fuels ANZ growth
Strategic communications agency Thrive PR & Communications, has cemented its leadership team and revealed its newest talent line up as Excess Earned Attention drives the agency’s growth across Australia and New Zealand.
2025 has delivered a stellar year of evolution for Thrive with client growth, new client wins, hires, promotions and delivery of some of the country’s most culturally charged events.
Amongst a swath of promotions plus new and growing roles:
● Clare Basire has cemented her leadership since being elevated to Managing Director, Thrive Sydney while continuing on Thrive’s AU/NZ Executive team
● Snezna Kerekovic is leading as Acting Managing Director, Melbourne and heads the search for a new General Manager, Thrive Melbourne as she prepares to move into a soon-to-be-announced Thrive initiative – Snezna continues her role on the AU/NZ Executive Team
● Tiana Miocevich, a seasoned corporate and brand PR professional based in Auckland, has been appointed to lead Thrive Aotearoa New Zealand with additional new local appointments in play
● Kyra Shakspeare has imbedded herself into the role of Client Partner, leading Thrive Queensland and expanding her established local team
Says Leilani Abels, founder and CEO of Thrive: “At Thrive, we recognise and back the leaders who contribute to client success and building this business. Our investment in female leadership and entrepreneurship is central to our growth. Clare’s rise to Managing Director, Thrive Sydney is a testament to her strategic capability, her ability to nurture meaningful client partnerships and the high-performance culture she inspires across teams.”
Says Basire: “My vision is to build on Thrive’s strong foundation by deepening our strategic partnerships, harnessing AI and emerging technologies, and ensuring our work stays culturally sharp and commercially powerful. We’re committed to pushing the boundaries of Excess Earned Attention and delivering communications that move markets.”
Thrive’s Excess Earned Attention, a proposition that was designed and executed throughout the year with global and local clients, is an example of the agency’s service evolution designed to help its clients grow.
Says Abels: “Thrive is famous for delivering impactful storytelling that drives earned media and earned attention for its clients, however, this year we have upped the ante with a new excess framework. With our partners, Thrive has delivered so many campaigns in 2025 that were unmissable demonstrating Excess Earned Attention in action with new excess earned attention metrics and results that have been outstanding for clients. The list is long: from LawConnect winning the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, to the F1 Australian Grand Prix with LEGO and Airwallex, to Elle Macpherson and WelleCo at the Cannes Lions
Festival, SXSW Sydney including TikTok Home, the launch of streaming service Tubi for NewsCorp, Johnnie Walker’s The Walk to Austin Award, Don Julio’s DJ Snoopadelic during AFL Grand Final week, and Grammy Award winner Lupe Fiasco at Society during the Melbourne Cup Carnival — we’ve created cultural occasions and elevated the brands we represent during moments that are meaningful to their audiences.”
Excess Earned Attention is immersed in culture and creativity which has demanded new appointments in Thrive’s creative and culture specialist team.
New Thrive appointments in the creative and culture team include:
● Louise Jones, former Head of Social at Ogilvy, has started as Thrive AU/NZ Head of Social – Louise will head up Thrive’s social, creative content and influencer team
● Brad Grey, former Leo’s senior creative, takes the reigns as Creative Lead, Thrive AU/NZ
● Anna Porter, former senior talent manager at ICON management, has been appointed as Senior Specialist: Culture, Creator and Brand Partnerships
These new appointments supercharge Excess Earned Attention that drives disproportionate measurable results for brands outside of organic earned media attention, owned media and paid media placement.
Says Abels: “Driving Excess Earned Attention requires strategic communications capability, vast relationships and connections to make things happen, and a critical understanding of managing brand reputation. Continuing to innovate and attract and retain brilliant and ambitious talent, coupled with our service innovation are reasons that Thrive continues to attract world class partners like LEGO, NewsCorp, Diageo, TikTok, Cisco, Stihl, Harley Davidson, Blackmores, Chobani and many others.
We are ready for new challenges, taking our clients on the Excess Earned Attention journey and we are looking forward to taking it up to another level for our clients in 2026.”
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