Special Australia Bolsters Leadership Ranks to Power Next Phase of Growth

Special Australia has strengthened its national leadership team with four senior appointments, naming Sasha Firth Managing Director, Christie Meischke People & Culture Director, and elevating Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt to Executive Creative Directors. The moves signal the independent agency’s ambition to accelerate creative impact and future-fit operations.

Independent creative agency Special Australia has unveiled a series of senior leadership appointments as it positions itself for its next chapter of growth, reinforcing its national structure and doubling down on creativity, culture and innovation.

The agency has appointed Sasha Firth as Managing Director, confirmed the elevation of long-standing creative leaders Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt to Executive Creative Directors, and welcomed Christie Meischke into a newly created national People & Culture Director role. Together, the quartet add fresh momentum and experience to what the agency describes as an already formidable leadership bench.

Lindsey Evans, CEO and Partner at Special Australia, said the appointments reflect the agency’s long-held belief that talent and culture are its greatest differentiators in an increasingly competitive market.

“We are incredibly excited by the serious firepower these awesome humans bring to everything Special,” Evans said. “We have always said that all we really have to set ourselves apart is talent and the culture we create for that talent to thrive — the rest will take care of itself. Special has somehow managed to consistently attract and retain an unfair share of the very best. We are beautifully poised to supercharge our future-fit offering and accelerate the creative impact we deliver for the ambitious brand owners we are privileged to work with.”

Firth, who joined Special in May 2024, now takes on the permanent role of Managing Director, leading the business nationally alongside Tori Lopez. Lopez has been with the agency since its earliest days and has played a central role in its expansion and reputation as one of Australia’s most influential independent agencies.

Over the past year, Firth has led Special’s Melbourne office, where she has been credited with driving momentum across client relationships, team culture and operational performance. In her expanded remit, she will focus on national integration, future-fit operations and embedding capabilities in AI, technology and innovation across the business. While she will continue to oversee Melbourne, the agency has flagged that a new senior leadership role will soon be appointed to support the office on the ground.

Firth joined Special from DDB Group Australia, where she spent five years as Managing Partner. Her earlier career included stints alongside Evans at The Campaign Palace and Happy Soldiers, a history that Evans says strengthens the cultural alignment at the top of the business.

“I couldn’t be happier to have been reunited with the brilliant human that is Sasha,” Evans said. “We have enjoyed many years of adventures in this industry together, and over the last year she has made an immeasurable impact on our Melbourne business — its momentum, culture and performance. She is an all too rare talent who has exceptional leadership skills and lives our values — open, kind and brave — in every way.”

The creation of the People & Culture Director role underscores Special’s focus on scaling without losing the cultural qualities that have underpinned its success. Meischke joins with a brief to spearhead talent development, employee experience and cultural initiatives nationally, supporting continued growth across Sydney and Melbourne.

Her remit includes overseeing policies and practices that nurture sustainable performance, as well as implementing and evolving Special’s psychosocial initiative, ‘Work Better, Feel Better’. Meischke most recently held senior roles at OMG Australia and Hearts & Science, bringing deep experience in people strategy within high-performing agency environments.

Tori Lopez, Managing Director at Special Australia, said Meischke’s appointment signals the agency’s ongoing commitment to putting its people first.

“Christie’s appointment fuels Special’s ongoing commitment to putting its people and culture first,” Lopez said. “We are thrilled to not only have been able to attract such a well-respected and well-credentialed professional, but someone who so beautifully combines genuine empathy with ambition.”

On the creative front, the elevation of Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt marks a recognition of a partnership that has helped define Special’s output over the past decade. The pair have been promoted from Group Creative Directors to Executive Creative Directors, reflecting both the standard of their work and their leadership influence within the agency.

Eberhardt joined Special nine years ago, teaming up with Gibson five years ago in a partnership that has delivered some of the agency’s most awarded and talked-about campaigns. Among the standout projects are Uber Eats’ “Get Almost, Almost Anything”, Kathmandu’s “We’re Out There”, Uber’s “Can’t Do That If You’re Driving”, Tourism New Zealand’s “Good Morning World”, Uber Eats’ “Sharon and Kim” and Kitchen Warehouse’s “Mum-nipulate The Algorithm”.

Their expanded roles will see them continue to be based in Sydney, providing hands-on creative leadership across brands, major projects and new business pitches. They join Ryan Fitzgerald, who remains Executive Creative Director in Melbourne and plays a key role in shaping the agency’s national creative direction.

Tom Martin and Julian Schreiber, Chief Creative Officers and Partners at Special Australia, said the promotions were met with overwhelming support internally.

“We’re so thrilled to be able to promote Simon and Nils,” they said. “It’s recognition not only of the exceptional standard of work they’ve delivered and their natural leadership, but of the deep respect they’ve earned across the agency. Their thoughtfulness, clarity and the way they show up for people every day sets the tone for those around them. The roar of applause at our all-agency announcement of their appointment pretty much said it all.”

The leadership changes come at a time when independent agencies are under increasing pressure to demonstrate both creative excellence and operational sophistication. For Special, the strategy appears to be clear: invest in senior talent who can integrate creativity, technology and culture into a cohesive national model.

By strengthening its executive layer across management, people and creative leadership, the agency is aiming to future-proof its offering while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit that has fuelled its rise. The emphasis on AI, innovation and integration reflects a broader industry shift, but Special’s leadership insists the foundation remains unchanged.

As Evans noted, the agency’s belief is that culture and talent are the ultimate competitive advantage. With Firth steering national operations, Meischke shaping the employee experience and Gibson and Eberhardt driving creative standards, Special Australia is signalling that its next chapter will be built on both scale and soul — an ambition to grow without diluting the qualities that made it stand out in the first place.