Aimee Buchanan is a driving force for positive change in the media industry. Aimee is passionate about the role media agencies play in shaping culture, businesses, brands and careers. Having worked agency side for 20+ years she loves solving big client challenges and building her team to agitate for change. As CEO of GroupM Australia & New Zealand, she's responsible for bringing to life GroupM’s purpose of being responsible for shaping the next era of media where advertising works better for people.
A client-focused leader with a strong track record, Aimee believes in putting her team first and creating a thriving, positive culture, to deliver results. With over two decades of experience in the Australian market, she's partnered with high-volume Blue-Chip global clients and some of Australia’s best loved brands.
Deeply committed to sustainability, Aimee spearheaded Alpha, GroupM Australia's holistic sustainability strategy. This initiative aims to drive the agency and its clients towards net zero goals through decarbonizing media practices.
She's incredibly proud of the GroupM team for achieving the number one spot on RECMA’s Qualitative Domestic Report, with EssenceMediacom, Wavemaker, and Mindshare securing the top three positions for new business results. This comes as a result of three years of consecutive growth across GroupM, which has grown circa 25% in topline growth over the past three years to 2024.
GroupM's success under Aimee's leadership extends beyond impressive rankings. Over the past three years, the group has been recognised as Employer of the Year at the B&T Women in Media Awards, Campaign Asia Diverse Inclusive Employer, winner of the MFA Media For Good award for sustainability and acknowledged on the AFR Sustainable Leaders List.
Aimee's leadership has also garnered significant recognition. In 2024 she was named on the AFR’s Women in Leadership List, after achieving the #1 ranking on both the Media Week Agency 50 and B&T Women in Media Power List in 2023, and was named Campaign Asia Women Leading Change Sustainability Leader.
Her list of accolades includes being named B&T Executive of the Year in 2019 and B&T Women in Media Woman of the Year in 2019, 2019 CEO of the year Women Leading Change, as well as Campaign Asia Agency Head of the Year in 2018. A consistent force in the industry, Aimee topped the Women in Power list in 2023, 2021 and 2018.
Last, but certainly her biggest job, is being proud mum to Addie and Archie and spending time with them and her husband, Pete.