HELLO LANDS WPP EXECUTIVE CAROLINE BERDAYES AS NEW CFO & COO

Independent creative group Hello has appointed Caroline Berdayes as Chief Financial & Operating Officer, luring her from WPP Production ANZ. With over 20 years’ experience across leading creative and production businesses, Berdayes will partner CEO Sam Kelly to drive finance, operations and commercial strategy as Hello scales amid strong FY26 growth.

Independent creative group Hello has made a decisive move to strengthen its leadership bench, appointing Caroline Berdayes as Chief Financial & Operating Officer. The hire marks a significant investment in the agency’s executive team as it reports double-digit revenue and profit growth in FY26, positioning itself for the next stage of expansion.  

Berdayes joins from WPP Production ANZ, where she held the same dual role, overseeing finance and operations across the network’s production arm. Her career spans more than two decades in senior commercial and operational positions, including a tenure as Commercial Director at M&C Saatchi. She has built a reputation for leading finance, operations, commercial strategy and business transformation across some of the industry’s largest creative and production businesses.  

In her newly created role at Hello, Berdayes will work closely with CEO Sam Kelly to shape the agency’s commercial and operational strategy. Her remit covers finance, people, operations, technology and production, with a clear mandate to help scale the business as it enters a new phase of growth. The appointment underscores Hello’s ambition to consolidate its momentum and build the infrastructure required to sustain its expansion.  

Kelly welcomed Berdayes’ arrival, highlighting her track record of driving transformation and operational excellence. “Caroline’s experience across both creative and production businesses makes her uniquely placed to help us scale responsibly while maintaining the agility and creativity that define Hello,” he said.  

For Berdayes, the move represents both a return to independent agency culture and an opportunity to shape a fast-growing business. Her appointment signals Hello’s intent to balance creative ambition with operational rigour, ensuring the agency can deliver consistently for clients while navigating the complexities of growth.  

The addition of Berdayes to the leadership team reflects Hello’s broader strategy of investing in senior talent to underpin its expansion. With strong financial performance in FY26 and a growing client portfolio, the agency is positioning itself as a formidable player in the independent sector, blending creative innovation with disciplined commercial management.