VMLY&R expands senior creative and strategy teams in Brisbane with four new hires

(Pictured L-R: Mikey Tucker, Jessamy Ross, Lisa O’Neill, Dilip Garga)

Following a run of new business wins in Brisbane – including Queensland University of Technology, World Supercross Championships and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, VMLY&R has expanded its team with the appointment of four new senior hires.

Creative director Mikey Tucker joins the agency having recently returned to Brisbane from Europe, where he was CD of DDB Prague. During his five years in Europe, Tucker worked with Netflix, Spotify, Volkswagen, MINI, Zalando and Metro. Prior to that, Mikey spent 17 years in Melbourne producing award-winning work at a host of creative shops.

Alongside Tucker, joins associate creative director, Lisa O’Neill. O’Neill has developed integrated brand platforms for Samsung, Nintendo, Uber, Coca- Cola, KFC and the BBC. Before joining the team at VMLY&R, she was ACD at Leo Burnett Sydney where she created Australia’s first TikTok ad with a Subtly Sponsored Post for Samsung and wrote the Shut Up & Take My Money platform for KFC during her time at Ogilvy.

Award winning strategy director Dilip Garga joined the agency this week from Ogilvy Singapore, where he worked on Unilever’s global skincare brands: Vaseline, Comfort, Pond’s and Dove. Garga will work with Andrew Kolb, VMLY&R’s head of strategy in Brisbane, across the office’s major clients.

Jessamy Ross completes the line up as senior copywriter. Ross is the creative force behind some of Queensland’s most awarded behaviour change work, including Queensland Health’s ‘Dear Mind’ campaign. She is currently Head of AWARD School, Queensland and is a four-time mentor of the Assisterhood Program.

Says Ben Davis, VMLY&R executive creative director in Brisbane: “It’s been a special start to 2023 for the agency – and it’s wonderful to bring onboard such phenomenal talent to help deliver work that truly connects brands to people. Mikey, Jess, and Dilip are lovely people that will collaborate brilliantly with our client partners and complement our team.”

In 2023, VMLY&R has continued the momentum in Brisbane winning a host of high profile Queensland Government projects.

Says Adam Kennedy, managing director, VMLY&R Brisbane: “The agency continues to go from strength-to-strength – and that’s down to our culture of connection as a team and with our client partners. Mikey, Jess and Dilip add new creative dimensions and diversity that will complement our incredible existing team.“

Says Thomas Tearle, CEO, VMLY&R AUNZ: “I’m thrilled to see the momentum Adam and the team in Brisbane have continued to drive in 2023. We’re honoured to be working closely with such established and well known global and regional brands, and look forward to sharing the work with the world.”