Move and win roundup: Week of May 19, 2025

Taboola has elevated Shivani Pant to the position of regional publisher director, APAC, based in Sydney. Pant, a Taboola veteran with nearly 15 years of digital media experience, will lead publisher partnerships across the region effective immediately. The promotion comes on the back of Taboola's strong growth in APAC, driven by new client partnerships and the launch of its Realize platform, which delivers performance outcomes beyond search and social. Key deals include a five-year extension with Sky News Australia and a record six-year renewal with New Zealand’s Otago Daily Times. Pant will oversee the expansion and alignment of Taboola’s publisher partnerships across the APAC region. Her career spans Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, China, and India, and she comes with a deep understanding of the region’s complexities and opportunities. She was most recently ANZ director, Publisher Partnerships, where she played an important role in securing long-term agreements with key publishers like Sky News Australia and the Otago Daily Times.

Ogilvy New Zealand’s executive creative director Kristal Knight has announced her departure after three years with the agency. Sharing the news on LinkedIn, Knight reflected on her time at the agency, calling it a privilege to work with “some of my favourite people in the industry” and part of “the most formidable creative network in the world.” With over 20 years of experience in London and New Zealand, Knight’s career includes roles at Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland, Colenso BBDO, and OgilvyOne London. Her next move has yet to be announced, as she hints at “new adventures” ahead.

Andrew Gilbert has been appointed VP of advertising ecosystem for Afterpay in Australia and New Zealand. Gilbert joins from Yahoo DSP, where he was director of commercial and solutions for AUSEA. He has already worked closely with Afterpay through a partnership where Yahoo DSP powered the buy-now-pay-later platform’s media network. Gilbert’s career also includes roles at IAB Australia, Eyeota, Integral Ad Science, and Vodafone Australia