Get to know Holly Yates

Meet Holly Yates, Head of Agency Partnerships - Multi Markets

Tell us a bit about yourself, your role and what’s happening in your vertical?

With nearly two decades in the media game, including senior commercial roles across News Corp and Mamma Mia, I’ve officially traded in my contracting badge at Cartology for permanent keys to the office, proudly in the new role of Head of Agency Partnerships - Multi Markets. 

I am fortunate to lead an exceptional team of 19 across Independent Agencies, Victorian Holding Companies, and our interstate teams in QLD, SA, and WA.

Our big focus right now? Doubling down on true, consultative and strategic partnerships with our agency partners. We have so much to offer, we’re actively scaling our market footprint, working with FMCG and non-FMCG clients and using the Cartology Advantage framework to deliver deeper, long-term value. And if we haven’t spoken to you about the Cartology Advantage yet - let’s chat! 

We’ve done a lot of evolving over the last year, and honestly, we’ve never been better positioned to help our partners unlock massive growth across Retail Out of Home (ROOH) as we head into FY27. Watch this space! 

What was a pivotal moment or key experience in your career that's profoundly shaped how you're going to approach your current role?

A pivotal phase in my career was leading commercial teams through periods of major change within fast-paced, evolving media environments. The ups, the downs, the pivots and the wins really taught me  that great results are never individual; they are entirely about the people around you. It’s that  supportive, resilient team culture where everyone feels confident navigating changes together that is priceless

Operating in the fast moving retail industry, the expectations for growth are always high, but I truly believe that the heart of any success comes down to the team.

I am so incredibly proud to be stepping into this role with a group of people who are genuinely excited about this next chapter. My focus is on creating an environment where they have the support, coaching, and tools they need to thrive, enjoy what they do, and achieve great results for our partners.

What specifically about your work here, or the challenges we're tackling, gets you genuinely excited to come in every day?

I am incredibly excited about the education and insights we are bringing to our agency partners. Because Retail Media is evolving so rapidly, there is a natural excitement in market right now, which gives my team a fantastic opportunity to step up and lead the way as trusted educators.

We love taking Cartology’s sophisticated insights proposition and tailoring it with clear proof points to solve the business challenges of our diverse partners. Watching my team collaborate and delivering incredible results for our clients, is easily one of the most rewarding parts of my role.

Looking at our business, what's one area where you see immense untapped potential for growth or improvement?

As a business, we have only just scratched the surface of connected planning and truly unifying our clients across both brand and trade marketing.

We’ve already seen what’s possible when we bring these two worlds together. A standout example was our recent partnership with Who Gives A Crap, which was brilliantly led by Naomi Rego in my team alongside Kirsty Muir in our Client Partnerships Team. Their collaborative approach resulted in winning the B&T Best use of Retail Media together with Hatched, which is a massive achievement.

The growth we are experiencing means we have the ability to help our partners in so many new and scalable ways has only touched the surface, and I’m excited to see how this continues to evolve in FY27.

What's one trend you're keeping a close eye on?

I'm closely watching the convergence of brand and trade planning within agencies. Historically, brand awareness and trade marketing operated in silos, but we are seeing a massive shift toward unified, connected planning all in favour of a connected customer experience. Agencies are looking for partners who can help them bridge that gap, and Cartology is that partner.
 

What's the best career advice you've received?

Invest heavily in people, both your team and your clients because everything else follows. If you consistently show up with empathy, transparency, and a genuine desire to help others succeed, long-term success will come naturally.