DARKHORSE adds Trade Me and DHL; Lucinda East Kennedy + Mandy Wiles named business directors

Brand experience and communications agency DARKHORSE has completed the first quarter with major momentum, welcoming Trade Me and DHL to its client portfolio and strengthening its senior team with the appointment of Lucinda East Kennedy (left) and the return of Mandy Wiles (right) as Business Directors.

The new partnerships and senior hires signal continued growth for DARKHORSE, further cementing its position as one of APAC’s most dynamic agencies, delivering integrated brand experience, communications and culture-led campaigns across New Zealand, Australia and Singapore.

For Trade Me, DARKHORSE has been engaged to deliver across brand communications, including content, PR, social and influencer.  Recent work includes creative content for the marketplace’s safe and secure payment system, Ping, as well as social strategy for the brand’s current “Goodbye Things” campaign.

“DARKHORSE impressed us with their sharp creativity, strategic strength and relentless pursuit of results,” says Millie Silvester, Senior Communications and Content Manager at Trade Me. “They bring a uniquely integrated approach, deep experience, a genuinely positive, can-do attitude and, importantly, know how to connect with Kiwi audiences in a way that feels distinctly Trade Me.”

Meanwhile, DARKHORSE has been appointed on retainer by DHL to manage PR and crisis communications, strengthening the logistics giant’s brand presence and ensuring a consistent, strategic voice across all corporate and consumer communications.

To support the agency’s continued growth, DARKHORSE has appointed Lucinda East Kennedy and welcomed back Mandy Wiles as Business Directors; Kennedy leads the agency’s brand communications offering and Wiles oversees brand experience, the two teams frequently collaborating on integrated campaigns.

Kennedy joins the stables with 20 years’ of experience working across media and communications in New Zealand and abroad. In the last decade, she’s had her eponymous agency, EAST, acquired by Thrive PR + Communications, launched and ran the New Zealand arm of Thrive, become an agency advisor, and co-founded a beauty technology brand. Wiles returns to DARKHORSE following a three year stint in the United Kingdom working across major luxury brands, bringing expertise in international project and event management, client relationships, creative execution, and live brand experiences for iconic names, including Prada, Calvin Klein, Vogue and Burberry.

“Winning Trade Me and DHL, bringing Lucinda into the business and welcoming Mandy home marks an exciting era for DARKHORSE,” says Managing Director Francesca Kelly. “Trade Me and DHL are both culture-shaping brands that lead from the front, while Lucinda and Mandy are both industry leaders with a genuine passion for the type of work DARKHORSE is proud to produce. It’s fitting that it’s the Year of the Horse because from our clients to our team, our stables have never been stronger.”

The appointments come as DARKHORSE continues to grow across New Zealand and Australia, building on a strong 2025 that saw the agency expand its trans-Tasman footprint and deepen its capabilities across integrated communications and experiential work.

With fresh momentum, new client partnerships and a growing team across the region, DARKHORSE continues to solidify its reputation as a creative force for iconic brands.

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