Caroline Berdayes. Credit: Hello
Independent creative group Hello has appointed Caroline Berdayes chief financial and operating officer, poaching her from WPP Production ANZ, as the agency posts double-digit revenue and profit growth in FY26.
Berdayes was previously CFOO at WPP Production ANZ. Before that she was commercial director at M&C Saatchi, building more than 20 years' experience in finance, operations, commercial strategy and business transformation.
In the newly created role, Berdayes will work alongside chief executive Sam Kelly on Hello's commercial and operational strategy, overseeing finance, people, operations, technology and production as the business scales.
Berdayes pointed to Hello's mix of award-winning creativity and entrepreneurial approach as the drawcard.
"Hello has built an incredible reputation by combining award-winning creativity with new media thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset,” she said.
“What excites me most is the opportunity to help build the operational platform that enables the agency to keep innovating, scaling and delivering exceptional outcomes for clients," she said.
"The pace of change across our industry is extraordinary.
“Businesses that invest in people, technology and smarter ways of working will create a genuine competitive advantage, and I'm looking forward to helping shape that future alongside Sam and the leadership team at one of Australia's most progressive and respected agencies."
The appointment follows Hello's expansion across creative, social, influence, events, production, PR and media measurement, with a focus on building the operational capability to support increasingly complex, technology-enabled client work.
Kelly said Berdayes was a natural fit for the agency's long-term vision.
"Caroline is one of the most commercially astute operators in our industry,” he said.
“She's built and transformed high-performing creative and production businesses, understands the commercial realities of scaling organisations in our space, and brings the operational and technology expertise required to support our next chapter of growth," Kelly said.
Kelly said the appointment reflected Hello's investment in building an integrated creative company for the digital era, as AI and shifting consumer behaviour reshape the industry.
"Brands are no longer experienced through a linear narrative or a single big ad. Consumers encounter brands through TikTok, creators, memes, product experiences, events, AI discovery, retail, PR and advertising, in no particular order,” he said.
"We're helping brands build these connected mosaics: fragmented moments of attention across hundreds of touchpoints. Our job isn't to tell one perfect story; it's to ensure those fragments collectively create a consistent and favourable perception.
"Caroline's appointment ensures we have the operational capability, technology and commercial leadership to continue delivering world-class brand experiences in a rapidly changing media landscape."
Hello has flagged further senior leadership appointments, 18 months on from the launch of its creative, PR and events businesses.
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