Verian Group Names Melanie Wiese Australia MD
Verian Group appoints Melanie Wiese as Australia MD while retaining APAC innovation role. The dual leadership signals growing demand for integrated research-comms solutions.
Verian Group, a research, evidence, evaluation and communications agency, has appointed Melanie Wiese as managing director for Australia, effective immediately. Wiese will continue serving as chief innovation officer for APAC and principal for the Verian Institute for Public Impact.
Two Decades of Strategic Communications Leadership
Wiese brings over 20 years of experience in strategic communications and advisory services to the position. Her background spans consumer insight, organizational and behavioral change, cultural alignment, and product and experience design.
She has held senior leadership roles at major global agencies, including chief strategy officer at Wunderman Thompson Australia and VML, and planning director at Grey New York. Throughout her career, Wiese has worked with both private and public sector clients across energy, finance, health, and education sectors.
The appointment comes as Verian Group positions itself to meet growing demand for integrated research and communications services in the Australian market.
Driving Innovation and Cross-Functional Collaboration
Since joining Verian in 2025 as chief innovation officer, Wiese has advanced the company's innovation initiatives. She has encouraged collaboration between research and creative teams while championing behavioral change methods and emerging technologies.
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Her leadership has strengthened Verian's ability to deliver comprehensive solutions for clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The dual role structure allows her to maintain strategic oversight across both the Australian market and broader regional innovation efforts.
Wiese holds a master's degree from RMIT and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Western Australia. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and serves as an active non-executive director.
Strategic Leadership Transition
The company acknowledged outgoing managing director Kirsty Macmillan's contributions to Verian and Kantar Public over many years. Verian expressed that Wiese's appointment represents a new chapter for the organization.
The leadership change positions Verian to capitalize on the intersection of research, evidence, and communications as Australian brands increasingly seek measurable outcomes from their communications investments. Wiese's strategic leadership and innovation expertise are expected to drive growth and deliver client value across the region.
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