Customer insights platform, Ideally, has announced the appointment of Simon Gawn to spearhead its Australian operations, marking a significant step in the company's growth strategy.

This development follows Ideally's launch in August 2023 and is aimed at capitalising on the burgeoning opportunities in the Australian market, which is five times larger than its New Zealand counterpart.

Gawn, a seasoned industry veteran, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He previously served as the Managing Director of brand agency Denomination and has held senior positions at McCann, Ogilvy, and Dentsu. His immediate task will be to leverage Ideally's growth opportunities in Australia, where 30% of the startup’s clients are already based.

James Donald, co-Founder and CEO of Ideally, highlighted the company's unique value proposition in the Australian market.

"Ideally offers remarkably fast, affordable, and accessible customer insights to help bring great ideas to life and is perfectly poised to take advantage of the huge growth opportunities in Australia. Simon's proven leadership skills, as well as his deep expertise and network, will allow him to rapidly bring Ideally into the hands of more innovation and marketing teams. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Ideally’s Australian operations in 2024 and beyond."

Echoing Donald's enthusiasm, Gawn expressed his excitement about joining Ideally.

"I love environments that are innovative, foster creativity, and push boundaries to create something amazing. That’s Ideally to a ‘T’. I am very excited to help build the Australian business and team. Ideally is already making a significant name for itself in New Zealand. The way customers' eyes light up when they see Ideally in action definitely had a huge impact on my decision to be part of the product and team," he said.

Joshua Nu’u-Steele, Ideally’s Chief Revenue Officer, welcomed Gawn to the team, emphasising his extensive experience in creative agencies.

Ideally, launched by TRA Labs and Previously Unavailable, is an on-demand insights and innovation platform that enables users to rapidly test concepts, ideas, and messages with their target audience and receive robust answers overnight. The platform uses built-in generative AI to discover patterns and reveal opportunities.

In early November, Ideally announced a NZ$2.15m seed investment led by Icehouse Ventures alongside Brand Fund 1.