Peta Southcombe Named Mindshare Melbourne MD as Solomon Departs

Mindshare Melbourne has appointed Peta Southcombe as managing director, following the departure of Christian Solomon, who is leaving WPP after 14 years to join a rival media agency.

Southcombe Steps Up After Nearly 17 Years With WPP

Southcombe's appointment is an internal promotion. She joined WPP's Maxus agency as a planner in 2009, rose to marketing analytics director by 2015, and transferred to Mindshare Melbourne as strategy director that same year. She became managing partner in 2022.

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"We have a strong foundation built on trust, talent and ambition," Southcombe said in a statement. "I'm excited to bring a new energy into well-established growth strategies."

Solomon joined Mindshare Melbourne in 2018 as managing partner on the NAB account before being promoted to managing director two years later. WPP Media acknowledged he "led the Melbourne business with energy, optimism and a people-first mindset."

Solomon's Path From China to Australia Reflects APAC Talent Patterns

Before joining Mindshare Melbourne, Solomon spent six years at Mediacom China as chief digital officer. His career path, moving from a senior digital role in China into agency leadership in Australia, reflects a broader pattern of executive mobility within global media holding company networks across the Asia-Pacific region.

His departure to a competing agency continues the ongoing circulation of senior talent within Australia's media agency market.

NAB Account Gets Unified Structure Under Tess Eastcott

The leadership change coincides with a restructure of Mindshare Melbourne's NAB banking account, which the agency has held since 2012. NAB subsidiaries uBank and MyCard, previously managed as separate accounts, will now operate as a single consolidated unit.

Managing partner Tess Eastcott will lead the unified NAB team. "This unit was created to bring sharper focus, deeper integration and greater impact for one of our most important client relationships," Eastcott said.

Notably, uBank also appears in the client portfolio of Nancy Lan, recently appointed as client managing director for Mindshare Sydney. This dual-city presence of the same client brand suggests a nationally coordinated approach to the NAB group of accounts.

Melbourne Transition Part of Broader National Restructure

The Melbourne appointment is one of several simultaneous leadership changes at Mindshare Australia. Elliott Eldridge has been promoted to chief strategy officer with a national remit, and Laura Fell has been promoted to chief planning officer overseeing national planning standards.

Mindshare Australia and New Zealand CEO Maria Grivas praised both Southcombe and Eastcott for their "well-earned trust" and commitment to building high-performing teams.

The changes come during a period of strong commercial performance for the broader WPP Media group in Australia. WPP Media led Australian new business rankings in 2025, recording A$273 million in total new business won across the first three quarters of the year.