Suzie Shaw: “There’s a Clear Opportunity for Brands to Rethink Their Investment Mix”

Recently promoted from Australia CEO to Asia-Pacific CEO, We Are Social’s Suzie Shaw has taken up responsibility for driving the agency’s growth and innovation across the region to meet the evolving needs of brands in an increasingly complex social and cultural landscape.

Having served at the company since 2015, Suzie has been instrumental in shaping We Are Social’s success to date. She has grown the Sydney team to over 60, delivering award-winning, culturally relevant campaigns for brands such as Samsung, Audi, adidas, and TikTok.

Following her recent appointment, LBB’s Sunna Coleman sat down with Suzie to discuss her vision for expansion, why cultural intelligence is key, and her drive to make an impact beyond business.

LBB> Congratulations on your appointment as APAC CEO! What are you most excited about in the expansion of your role?

Suzie> I'm most excited about accelerating We Are Social’s growth in APAC to match the dynamism and potential of this region. As the largest social specialist agency in the world, we see an opportunity to keep expanding our capabilities, deepen our market impact, and elevate the APAC business to the level of maturity seen in other areas of our network.

LBB> You’ve led the Australian team as CEO for almost a decade. What are some of the biggest lessons on leadership you’ve learned along the way?

Suzie> One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that leadership in a creative business means constantly evolving. You can’t stand still. Staying at the forefront of culture, innovation, and social thinking is non-negotiable, not just to keep the work fresh, but to ensure we’re delivering real value to our clients.

I've also learned that the best ideas (and the best results) come when you're laser-focused on the client. Understanding their business, anticipating their needs, and consistently exceeding expectations has been at the heart of our growth. And finally, innovation doesn’t happen without the right people. Creating a culture where curiosity is encouraged, where people are supported to stretch themselves, and where excellence is expected – those things have been critical. That’s how we’ve built a team capable of not just keeping up with change, but leading it.

LBB> What are some of your recent career highlights from the past few years?

Suzie> Driving growth through innovation has been a major focus, and a highlight. In Australia, we’ve scaled the business significantly by pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a socially-led creative agency. We’ve evolved our offering, sharpened our strategic thinking, and delivered work that genuinely moves the needle for our clients.

But none of that would be possible without the team. I’m incredibly proud of the high-performing, highly collaborative culture we’ve built – one that’s attracted brilliant talent and allowed people to do career-defining work. Leading that kind of team is both a privilege and a constant source of energy.

Outside the agency, joining the boards of Sydney FC and Greenpeace Asia Pacific has been hugely rewarding. It’s stretched me in new ways, exposed me to different leadership challenges, and given me the opportunity to make an impact beyond just business. That perspective has only deepened my belief in the power of creativity, culture, and community to drive change.

LBB> Looking ahead, what are the biggest opportunities you see for We Are Social in APAC over the next three years?

Suzie> We’re fortunate to have built exceptionally strong relationships with some of the world’s most forward-thinking brands, like TikTok, adidas, Audi, Warner Bros. Discovery, Samsung, KFC and Salesforce, across key APAC markets. One of our biggest opportunities is to deepen and expand those partnerships, taking the successes and learnings from individual markets and scaling them regionally. There’s so much untapped potential in bringing that strategic and creative firepower to more corners of the region.

Another big opportunity lies in our unique strength: cultural intelligence. Our ability to understand what matters to people – locally, socially, emotionally – and translate that into ideas that truly connect is what sets us apart. We know how to make brands relevant in the feed. Over the next three years, we’ll continue to sharpen that skill to help brands drive tangible results – not just in reach or impressions, but in real impact and influence.

LBB> How do you see social media evolving in the APAC region, and what should brands be doing now to stay ahead?

Suzie> Social media in APAC is evolving rapidly, with a significant push towards integration of e-commerce and social platforms. Brands need to adopt a more agile and localised content strategy that speaks to the values and interests of diverse audiences. In this respect, we’ve seen great success working with creators to produce native social content for owned, earned and paid channels, and based on the great results achieved, we expect more brands to jump on it.

LBB> Are there any overlooked markets or platforms in the APAC region that you believe brands should be paying more attention to?

Suzie> There’s still huge headroom for growth on TikTok, particularly when it comes to brand building. It’s a platform where culture is being shaped in real time, yet many brands are still playing it safe or underinvesting.

More broadly, across APAC, most brands are significantly underinvested in paid social, especially when you consider the sheer scale of audience penetration and time spent. Social isn’t just where people are; it’s where influence lives. There’s a clear opportunity for brands to rethink their investment mix and start treating social media as a primary driver of growth, not just a support channel.

LBB> How can brands navigate the challenge of audience trust in an era of misinformation and AI-generated content?

Suzie> Our most recent Digital 2025 report shows that concerns about online misinformation have never been higher, with nearly two-thirds of adults worried about distinguishing real from fake content on the internet. These concerns are especially pronounced in Australia, where levels of mistrust are some of the highest in the world.

Ultimately, trust is earned through transparency, consistency, and respect. In a time when misinformation is rife and AI-generated content is flooding feeds, brands need to double down on authenticity. That means being clear about who they are, what they stand for, and how they show up, without trying to game the system or mimic culture in a way that feels hollow.

AI-generated content itself isn’t inherently the problem. Used responsibly, it can be a powerful creative tool, enhancing ideas, increasing agility, and helping brands participate in culture at speed. But the line is crossed when it becomes misleading, breaches IP, or sacrifices integrity for efficiency.

The brands that will thrive are those that embrace innovation while staying anchored to their values. Audiences are more discerning than ever – they’ll reward transparency, and they’ll quickly disengage when something feels off.

LBB> Finally, what are your initial priorities and goals in your new role? What can we expect to see from We Are Social in APAC in the near future?

Suzie> My initial focus is on strengthening our regional capabilities and ensuring that each market is equipped to meet the demands of both local and regional clients. This includes having the right talent, tech, innovation and processes to serve our formidable list of clients. We aim to redefine what great socially-led creativity looks like, impacting not just the marketing industry, but the wider cultural conversations in the region.