Global sports consultancy Octagon taps Kim Anderson to lead Australia
In a bid to increase its local presence, global sports consultancy Octagon has appointed 2023 women’s soccer world cup marketing lead Kim Anderson as its new Australia managing director.
Headquartered in the US as part of the Interpublic stable, Octagon has a significant presence in the international sports & entertainment space, particularly in its North American heartland, but competes locally with the likes of Bastion.
In an effort to grow its Australian profile, the firm has now hired Anderson as its new country managing director, following her recent stint heading up marketing for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in Australia and New Zealand.
“Kim’s expertise and track-record of leading industry-defining campaigns make her the ideal leader for this exciting chapter in Octagon’s journey,” stated APAC managing director Joanne Warnes. “As the eyes of the sporting world turn to Australia, her leadership will help our clients navigate the intersection of sport, culture, and fandom, creating campaigns that resonate deeply with audiences.”
Anderson brings two and half decades of experience in the marketing and advisory game, including early-career sports promotion roles with the SCG and Sydney FC, a stint as head of marketing for consumer advocate Choice magazine, being a co-founder of TEDxSydney Impact, and serving as global marketing director for strategic design company Smart Design out of New York.
Having established her own advisory in 2014, Anderson’s lengthy career led to her previous two-year appointment as head of marketing for the highly successful 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which attracted a record viewing audience somewhere in the realm of two billion TV spectators across its 30 days of competition and sold almost two million live tickets.
“2024 was amazing for me, a period of renewal after the intense demands of delivering a transformative event the scale of the FIFA Women's World Cup,” Anderson said. "As 2025 kicks off, I couldn’t be more excited to have landed with the talented crew at Octagon and our amazing clientele. It’s an honour to lead the team into our next phase of growth and evolution.”
In her new role based out of Sydney, Anderson will oversee Octagon’s local “vision, operations, and output” in the build-up to the Brisbane Games in 2032, having also previously worked as a venue services supervisor for the Sydney Olympics organising committee in 2000. The next local instalment, headed by former Deloitte CEO Cindy Hook, is projected to potentially add $17 billion to the local economy.
Anderson concluded; “Octagon has a global reputation for crafting campaigns that leave an indelible mark, and I’ve seen first-hand the extraordinary work the team delivers in pushing the boundaries of how brands and organisations engage with sport & entertainment. With Australia’s unique position on the global stage over the next decade, Octagon is primed to lead the way.”
