Branding design agency, Principals, has announced the appointment of Kate Murchison as General Manager of its Aotearoa New Zealand office.

Murchison brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as Managing Partner at marketing consultancy Eleven Eleven and independent creative agency Strategy. She also spent five years leading brand and consumer at Chorus.

In her new role, Murchison will join a team of over 80 professionals operating across Auckland, Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne. Principals' client roster includes The University of Auckland, Chorus, and Fonterra, as well as Australian brands such as NAB, Stockland, and Officeworks.

"Kate comes to us with a rare spread of skills and experience. Most recently she built a thriving strategy consultancy practice. She has also spent plenty of time agency-side, not to mention the highly successful rebrand she led at Chorus. Kate has the perfect mix of capability and personality to build on our recent momentum in the New Zealand market," said Tom Brigstocke, CEO of Principals.

Murchison's appointment comes as Principals continues to expand its presence in the New Zealand market. The agency has recently won several new businesses and has been recognised for its work, winning Gold and Best in Class at Transform and Good Design Awards for its work with Hamilton Airport. B&T Magazine named Principals as the Branding, Design & CX Agency of the Year for 2023.

"Being deeply passionate about the power of brand, what drew me to Principals was the sheer breadth of the offering, spanning insights, strategy, employer brand, brand experience, brand voice, and, of course, award-winning design. The team consistently deliver outstanding brand work that instigates positive change for organisations. I'm looking forward to leading them to new heights, as we continue to innovate and create transformative brands for our clients," said Murchison.

Principals has been in operation for 28 years, evolving from strategy and identity to designing and developing a brand’s voice and experience in an online and offline world. The agency claims to be the most awarded agency in Asia Pacific.