Sophie Gallagher Joins Spark Foundry to Lead PepsiCo
Gallagher moves from M+C Saatchi AUNZ as its Australian and New Zealand operations are set to close by November 2026.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Business Strategy
Sophie Gallagher has joined Spark Foundry Australia to lead strategy across PepsiCo, after 11 months as group strategy director at M+C Saatchi Group AUNZ. The move comes as M+C Saatchi's local advertising operations prepare to close by November 2026.
Why it matters
Gallagher's departure follows the collapse of a proposed management buyout of M+C Saatchi, which was backed by investment firm Parc and was confirmed in September 2026 not to proceed. The closure leaves a gap in the Australian and New Zealand agency landscape while M+C Saatchi World Services remains unaffected.
Gallagher spent 11 months as group strategy director at M+C Saatchi Group AUNZ after joining in January 2026. Lifeblood work under her earned two Silver and one Bronze at the 2026 Effie Awards, and the source does not detail how these results will shape her PepsiCo remit.
The players
Sophie Gallagher
A strategy leader who previously led Lifeblood, Youi, Omoda Jaecoo and Origin Energy accounts at M+C Saatchi AUNZ before moving to Spark Foundry.
Spark Foundry Australia
The Australian arm of the global media agency network Spark Foundry, part of Publicis Media and Publicis PLUS+.
M+C Saatchi
The advertising group whose Australian and New Zealand operations are closing by November 2026 after its proposed management buyout collapsed.
The details
At M+C Saatchi AUNZ, Gallagher led strategy across Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Youi, Omoda Jaecoo and Origin Energy, and established the agency's Connections Strategy discipline. She announced the move on LinkedIn, and Spark Foundry Australia sits within Publicis Media and Publicis PLUS+.
Timeline
January 2026: Gallagher joins M+C Saatchi Group AUNZ as group strategy director.
September 2026: M+C Saatchi confirms the management buyout will not proceed.
November 2026: M+C Saatchi's Australian and New Zealand advertising operations are set to close.
8 November 2026: Article announcing Gallagher's move to Spark Foundry is published.
Market Landscape
Gallagher's move from M+C Saatchi to Spark Foundry Australia reflects the failed Parc-backed management buyout that preceded the closure of the agency's regional operations. Her shift to a Publicis-owned network places a senior strategist within one of the region's larger agency groups as M+C Saatchi exits the Australian and New Zealand market.
Clients of M+C Saatchi in Australia and New Zealand will need to find new agency arrangements before the local operations close in November 2026. Advertisers working with Spark Foundry Australia may see Gallagher's strategy approach applied to PepsiCo's account.
The takeaway
Talent movements often follow structural shifts in agency ownership, and this case shows how a failed buyout can ripple outward to individual careers and client relationships. Industry professionals tracking agency consolidation should watch where senior strategists land next.
Further reading
Explore more on the Business Strategy developments shaping Australian agencies.
Source note: This article includes information reported by B&T.
