Virginia Hyland — CEO

Starting as a one woman band I've built one of the largest indie agencies, sold it to become the CEO of a global agency and negotiated my exit. I’ve successfully acquired and onboarded agencies, integrating into global agency groups. My true passion lies in helping others reach their potential—whether that’s through scaling and selling you own venture or empowering brands to engage their audiences and achieve consistent, profitable growth in an increasingly challenging environment. I thrive on collaborating with business owners, industry leaders and talented teams to create integrated communication and media solutions to drive measurable, long-term results, aligned to the business objectives. I’m fortunate to have worked, decades long, with exceptional brands, media partners and individuals. From leading names like COTY (Gucci, Tiffany, Marc Jacobs, Rimmel, and CoverGirl), Red Bull, Avis Budget, and Tourism Fiji to innovative companies like Bumble, Geely Automotive, and Uniting—who share a commitment to excellence and growth. A Personal Story of Growth and Impact In 2003, I started Hyland as a one-woman operation, and over the years, it grew into a multi-disciplinary agency. In 2020, I successfully sold the business to Havas, integrated Hyland into Havas Media. In 2025, I navigated my exit and am now focused on empowering others to achieve their business goals. In 2023, I was honoured to be elected Deputy Chair of the Media Federation of Australia. This role has given me the opportunity to drive transformative strategies within the media industry, including co-creating the "We are the Changers" EVP. This work reshaped our industry, fostering a renewed sense of growth and unity. With over a decade of experience on the MFA Board, I’m deeply invested in championing the next wave of industry growth underpinned by Agentic AI. Let’s collaborate. The future is full of opportunities—let’s seize them together! B&T Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Media 2016-2024 Mumbrella Highly Commended Agency of the Year AdNews Agency of Year Finalist Telstra NSW Business Women FINALIST B&T - FINALIST - Media Agency of the Year Australia. Mumbrella 2020 Highly Commended - Data Driven Marketing B&T - FINALIST Employer of the Year. B&T WINNER of inaugural Women in Media Award

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in the Media and Advertising industry with expertise in M&A and agency transformation.

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Experience: 20 yrs 11 mos