Earned-first communication agency, We. Communications, has announced its new look leadership team in Australia. The Executive Management Team (EMT) is tasked with driving the next stage of growth for the agency, following a string of recent wins across the agency's health, technology, corporate, and integrated marketing practices.

Summer Reading has joined as Group Head Corporate & Financial Communications. She made the move from Icon and has over 15 years' communication experience across geographies and agencies, including senior roles at Thrive, Ketchum, and Expedia Group.

Summer is responsible for driving growth and delivering strategic counsel across the professional services, corporate and financial communication sectors. She will also head up We.'s issues and crisis offering, working alongside We.'s Managing Director, Dan Woods.

Sarah Tu has rejoined the agency in the newly created role of Group Head, Integrated Marketing, following a stint at Lion. She brings more than a decade of experience working across integrated communications, media, social, strategy and creative.

Jasmine Mayo has joined We. as Head of Technology from boutique Technology PR agency Espresso Communications, as previously reported on Telum.

David Leahy continues as General Manager, a role he has held since 2023, and has expanded his remit to include We.'s Health practice while Emma Hussey, Head of Health, is on maternity leave. David has almost 20 years' communication experience across agency and in-house and was We.'s first head of health in Australia from 2012 to 2016.

John Egan retains his role leading We.'s finance function, having just completed five years with the agency.

Commenting on the new team, We. Australia's Managing Director, Dan Woods, said: "The world of PR and communication - like the world in general - continues to face huge challenges and change. The value of our leaders' experience and wisdom, combined with their understanding of the challenges our clients face and the influencers of their audiences, has never been more important.

"I firmly believe in the saying that 'leadership is culture'. I also believe that strong, committed leadership has never been more important. We.'s senior leaders are thoughtful, considered, dedicated professionals who are energised by our clients’ work and their challenges. I look forward to partnering with them on the next stage of the agency’s growth."

^{(Pictured, from left: Nitin Mantri, President (APAC) with EMT: Summer Reading, John Egan, David Leahy, Sarah Tu, Dan Woods, Jasmine Mayo)}

Layla El Najjar has joined The Catalyst Agency as an Account Director to lead the agency’s expansion into the MENA region, focusing on the gaming and tech sectors.

Based in Dubai, Layla joins The Catalyst Agency following more than four years at 8 Point Media, where she managed accounts for brands in the gaming and technology sectors, including Razer, Bethesda, and Square Enix. She specialised in bringing these brands to market and growing their presence across media and regional communities.

Layla also brings valuable agency experience from Faux Consultancy and Sticky Ginger PR, where she worked with F&B, hospitality, and luxury fashion brands.

Amelia Lee has stepped into the role of Head - Investor Relations & Corporate Communications at Seatrium. Based in Singapore, she leads global integrated communications strategy for the engineering solutions provider, spanning investor relations, corporate and digital communications, and brand.

Prior to this, Amelia spent six years heading investor relations at local telco, StarHub. Earlier in her career, she worked with several investor relations consultancies, including Citigate Dewe Rogerson, where she partnered with a range of listed companies across various sectors on integrated IR and communication programmes.