Meerkats promotes Rikki Burns to creative director and announces new hires

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Meerkats promotes Rikki Burns to creative director and announces new hires

Meerkats has recently promoted Rikki Burns (centre) to the position of creative director Perth, and welcomed four new Kats into the Warren.

 

Burns comes to the role with over 15 years experience as an internationally-awarded art director and copywriter. She brings a formidable level of digital and traditional creative expertise from the Perth and Sydney markets, and is a key supporter of growing local talent, being recently named as the 2019 WA AWARD School Head.

Says Martin Beecroft, CCO, Meerkats: “Rikki has shown an incredible level of creativity, energy, and a natural talent for bringing together our diverse team.

“She’s shown us an exciting creative vision for Meerkats and we’ve all begun to see the benefits of having her drive the creative work. Over the past few months, we’ve evolved the Perth Creative team into a group that’s delivering impactful, meaningful and effective work and we’re all thrilled to have her as CD.”

Says Burns: “The opportunity to join the leadership team, in an agency with a legacy like Meerkats, is incredible. We have the drive, experience and momentum to make a real difference to good organisations and the broader creative industry. We might even be able to add something good to the world while we’re at it!”

The creative team has been strengthened by the addition of writer Maya Halilovic and senior designer Ting Sia. Halilovic returns to Meerkats after a highly successful stint working in London at JWT, where amongst other awards, she was a two-time D&AD New Blood Pencil Winner. Sia previously worked at 303 MullenLowe and lectured extensively, before heading to London to build on his digital and product-design skills.

The business partnerships team has also welcomed two new additions, Sharon Heaton in the role of group business director and Hayden Garrard as business manager. Heaton comes with over twenty years of experience in both traditional and digital media, and was most recently GM at Longtail. Garrard, also ex-Longtail, has specialised media and client service experience, and joins the team as a business coordinator.

Says Gavin Bain, CEO, Meerkats: “Meerkats has always been a place that looks to hire and develop the very best people and I couldn’t be happier about our new appointments and Rikki’s new role. Her approach to leading the team, developing our own unique creative intellectual property, and the aspiration she has for our creative product is exciting for all of us, and our clients. It’s been a busy year with new clients coming to us from Perth, Sydney and Brisbane and the changes we’re making to the teams will help us to deliver quality work across all areas of the business.”

This announcement comes on the back of a several new business wins for the Kats including TechBrain, Wesley College, Wide Open Agriculture, SignIQ, Battery Minerals and TransGrid in Sydney.