Sling & Stone Names New CEO

(MENAFN- PRovoke) SYDNEY - Australia-based PR firm Sling & Stone has named James Hutchinson (pictured, left) as its new CEO, after
founder Vuki Vujasinovic stepped away from the business last year.

Hutchinson (pictured, left) told PRovoke media that Vujasinovic – who left in October last year – had take "an extremely well-deserved break after 14 years building the agency, and I've taken on the mantle of CEO."

He said he would now be overseeing the whole agency's operations and growth across APAC and the US and working closely with Sling & Stone's sister agencies Harvard and Method Communications, as well as the broader VCCP Group.

Hutchinson, who has been with the agency for just over 10 years, was previously its global head of business. He joined the company in 2014 as an account director before being promoted to head of business in 2016 and then global head of business in 2019. Prior to his tenure at Sling & Stone, Hutchinson was a journalist with The Australian Financial Review.

“A decade ago, I was a journalist telling the stories of small but growing challengers such as
Xero, Canva and more. Since joining Sling & Stone, I've had a massive opportunity to work with many of those same companies and build a true platform for challengers and disrupters around Australia, New Zealand, the US, Singapore, and broader APAC to help them go global and change their industries,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post.

“That platform is even more important today as we witness the next Cambrian explosion of startups, scale-ups, and challengers. Stories are no longer limited to one channel, one geography, or one audience. I'm looking forward to taking the reins, working with our world-class team of storytellers, and building on the foundations laid by my mentor, friend and ping pong nemesis Vujasinovic in 2025,” he added.

Hutchinson told PRovoke Media that 2025 was a“huge” year of opportunity for the team:
“We've seen strong growth across all regions in the past couple of years and we're continuing to invest in our teams and our client work there."

He added:“This year we're also doubling down on supporting our clients to grow their presence strategically across the APAC region and into the US and Europe through our teams, sister agencies, and affiliate networks.

While parts of the economy are certainly muted at the moment, there's a lot of green shots with fast-growth companies expanding globally, and we're well-placed to help them expand across the region through globally-minded, strategic communications.”

When Vujasinovic (pictured, right) departed the firm, he said:“Growing this agency has been the absolute pinnacle of my working life. I've had the privilege of working alongside incredible people and an insanely exciting network of clients. The time is right for me to step back, spend time with family, and plan for the future.

“The leadership team, helmed by James, is second to none, and I know Sling & Stone's best days are ahead of it. I'm going to be the most overenthusiastic cheerleader from the sidelines, and can't wait to see how the agency evolves in this new chapter."

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