The General Store has appointed former Cummins&Partners managing director, Sophie Lander, to drive the next stage of growth at the retail-focused strategy and creative agency, effective immediately.

"Sophie is a mega talent and we are excited to have her onboard to help drive our next stage of growth. She’s analytical, creatively ambitious and strong on the people front. But most of all, she’s impressive working with clients on solving business opportunities. We have tried to hire her twice before, so it’s third time lucky," said partner and CEO of The General Store, Matt Newell.

Lander joins the agency as managing director six months after announcing her exit from independent creative agency Cummins&Partners. Previously, she was general manager at Dentsu Creative ANZ in Sydney, with Lander's experience also extending across stints at CHEP and Ogilvy.

"I met Matt a few years ago and I have been intrigued by the agency's growth and positioning ever since. I find the combination of advertising, architecture, branding and technology incredibly exciting when tackling business opportunities for clients. The team have built a great business and it’s a privilege to join at such an exciting time," Lander said.

The General Store launched 12 years ago, and has since grown a diverse retail client base including rebel, BBQs Galore, Salvos Stores, Hamilton Island, Sportscraft, Breville, Freedom in Australia, as well as Supersports in Thailand.