Spotify ANZ hires Melissa Circosta as head of communications

Spotify has appointed Melissa Circosta as head of communications.

Sydney-based Circosta, who has been in strategic communications and public relations for 14 years, recently won the Silver PR Week Asia Award for Mastercard campaign and in 2015 a Gold Cannes Lion for an Optus campaign.

She was most recently PR director at Zeno Group, and held senior posts at Mastercard, Eleven – Whybin / TBWA, Hausmann Communications, Princess Cruises and Rubicon in the UK.

As Mumbrella reports, Circosta replaces Sophie Paterson, who left in April after eight years with the streaming service for a gig at Sony Music, moving into a role as senior director of audience development & digital communications.

Paterson was instrumental in championing locally-driven social impact initiatives at Spotify, including the First Nations audio creator communities and gender equity programs.

Spotify’s head of automation and data, Dan Robins, and head of sales, Cassie Gilbert, have also left the Australian office during the previous 12 months.

Managing director Karen Lawson departed the company in March after less than a year.

A spokesperson for Spotify declined to comment on any of the recent departures.