HERO executive creative director, Shane Geffen, has decided to depart the national independent at the end of April after five years in the role.

Geffen joined the business in 2021 as ECD and was elevated to National ECD in 2024. He departs at a high point for the agency, having played a central role working with creative chairman, Ben Lilley and CDs, Andrew “Woody” Woodhead and Sue Young, to make HERO into one of Australia’s most consistently awarded agencies. Geffen will hand over to Woodhead and Young as co-creative directors, leading across HERO’s Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane operations.

Woodhead has been HERO Melbourne CD since the agency’s inception, covering key clients, Toyota, Bakers Delight and Commonwealth Super Corporation. Young joined HERO in 2025 and brings decades of global experience across South Africa, the UK, New Zealand and Australia, including a decade as co-founder and executive creative director of Auckland independent, Chemistry.

During Geffen’s tenure, HERO has collected more than 100 international and local award wins spanning Cannes Lions, D&AD, New York Festivals and AWARD. Standout work has included Maybelline New York’s Through Their Eyes, which delivered the brand its first-ever Cannes recognition; Toyota’s C-HR Diamond Collection; Mastercard’s Transit Tales; Toyota GR Metalmorphosis; and most recently Hoegaarden Capybarapy.

Geffen said he would be taking a short break before his next move and will be available for project-based engagements from the end of this month. “After an incredible chapter at HERO, I’ve made the decision to move on. I’m incredibly proud of what we built together. It’s been a privilege to work alongside such talented people and to help shape a business that genuinely believes in the power of creativity. Woody and Sue are world-class creative leaders and I know I’m leaving our creative product in great hands.”

Ben Lilley added, “The last five years working with Shane has been an absolute privilege and a hell of a lot of fun. He leaves us with a brilliant team and a great creative legacy, and that’s no small thing. Woody and Sue bring extraordinary depth, range and creative leadership. We couldn’t ask for a more formidable leadership duo to take over the reins.”

Prior to HERO, Geffen held senior creative roles at Ogilvy, DDB, Clemenger BBDO and VML. His Monash University work won Gold and Bronze at the 2021 Cannes Lions. His Lost in Translation campaign for the Australian Navy won Grand Prix at the 2021 Spikes Asia and two Australian Effies. His Naughty or Nice Bauble campaign for Myer won two Spikes Grand Prix, and while at DDB his Sydney Opera House #comeonin campaign collected nine Cannes Lions including Gold in Mobile.

HERO was recently named the leading Australian creative agency in TrinityP3’s inaugural new business rankings, and Australian Agency of the Year at the 2025 WINA World Independent Advertising Awards, where it also became the first Australian agency to place in the global Top 10. Recent new client wins include Crown Resorts and Commonwealth Super.