Uber Australia's Advertising Division has expanded its leadership team with the appointment of former Yahoo Commercial Director, Julia Edwards, and former Amazon Ads Agency Development Manager, Shalyce McLean.

Michael Levine, Head of Advertising for Uber ANZ, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Julia and Shalyce to our team. Their extensive experience and leadership skills will be invaluable as we continue to grow our Advertising business in Australia and New Zealand. Equipping our team with a dedicated strategic focus on our vertical offerings and relationship with CPG brands, alongside a new lead that focuses on developing and building a stronger relationship with agencies locally, I am excited by the expanded opportunity to showcase the capabilities of our advertising surfaces to help brands and marketers look for innovative ways to engage with their consumers."

Edwards will lead the division's Strategic Verticals and CPG team, reporting directly to Head of Advertising, Michael Levine. Her role will involve crafting the Advertising business' product proposition for the ANZ market and ensuring clients understand Uber's advertising tools.

Shalyce McLean has been appointed as the Agency Lead for Uber's advertising offering, with a focus on unlocking the platform's advantages for agency partners and their clients. Both Edwards and McLean bring a history of leadership and innovation in their respective fields, with Edwards having been shortlisted for the Women Leading Tech - Sales Award and McLean earning titles including Women in Media and Media Salesperson of the Year.

"Uber advertising helps power people's lifestyles, connecting brands and consumers authentically in the moments that matter as they navigate the real world. I am excited to lead a team to empower our partners to leverage these every day moments to connect with their audience across our ad products in an unparalleled and meaningful way during moments of high intention," said Edwards.

McLean said it was a privilege to scale Uber's advertising offering, which she believes is intensely compelling for the Australian and New Zealand market. "Uber is a business that acutely understands how people move and eat, and recognises the value advertising and media agencies offer. I look forward to working alongside our team of advertising professionals to drive mutually beneficial and sustainable growth for agencies, their clients, and our industry."

The appointments mark the continued expansion of Uber's advertising business, which recently welcomed Nick Sargent as Head of Enterprise Restaurants and launched several new advertising products in the region. Globally, Uber's advertising business reached a US$900m revenue run rate in Q4 2023, with active advertising merchants during the quarter exceeding 550k, up to 75% year-on-year growth. In Australia and New Zealand, Uber's advertising business is one of the fastest-growing markets outside of the US and Canada.