Richard Parker departs Edge after 12+ years for chief strategy officer role at We Are Social

Socially-led creative agency We Are Social has appointed Richard Parker as its chief strategy officer, after a sustained period of growth. Joining the 60-person Sydney team, he will contribute to the company’s ongoing investment in its strategic, research and media services for a growing number of clients.

Parker (right) joins We Are Social from independent creative agency Edge—where he spent the last decade serving as partner and executive planning director—after spending the first half of his career in London, where he was a pioneer in the use of social and content to engage communities, provoke conversation, and drive earned media.

Parker has worked with some of the world’s most famous brands, including AAMI, Agent Provocateur, Amazon, ASOS.com, Bupa, Captain Morgan, ESPN, Estee Lauder, Johnson & Johnson, Moccona, and Optus. His expertise spans brand, communications, digital, CX and content strategy—delivering award-winning work across multiple markets.

Parker will lead a team of strategists, research experts, and paid media specialists, collaborating with We Are Social’s clients to deliver on the agency’s vision of Ideas Worth Talking About. As a member of the leadership team, he will also play a key role in shaping the future direction of the business.

Says Parker: “Aussies now spend more time on social media than they do on TV. It’s a key space for brand engagement, for consumer interaction, for online shopping experiences and, increasingly, an alternative to search engines—enabling research and discovery. It’s popular across all age demographics, and it’s constantly evolving to meet changing social, cultural and consumer needs. Social should be leading the marketing conversation, and forming the cornerstone of marketing strategies. Against this backdrop, the opportunity to join Suzie and the team of social experts at We Are Social was a no-brainer.”

Says Suzie Shaw (left), CEO at We Are Social: “We’re thrilled to welcome Richard to the team. His expertise in socially-led marketing, combined with his analytical curiosity and strategic acumen, make him the ideal leader to drive our vision forward. Richard’s track record in tackling complex strategic challenges and executing detailed, systematic programs is impressive and his ambition to push boundaries and deliver outstanding results really aligns with our goals. I’m excited about what we’ll accomplish together.”