Former NZ Police social media boss joins Special

Special has appointed social media expert Jess Bovey as head of social.

Bovey joins from New Zealand Police, where she shaped one of the most distinctive, popular and talked-about public sector social presences in New Zealand. Under her leadership, the Police’s channels have grown to over 2.8 million – a following built on a combination of sharp instinct, humour and a genuine understanding of platform and audience.

Bovey is also a regular speaker at social marketing conferences and led the New Zealand Police to be named Marketing and Communications Team of the Year at The Worthies. Her arrival at Special follows the agency conducting an extensive search across Aotearoa, Melbourne and Sydney.

Bovey says: “I’ve spent almost a decade at New Zealand Police, and am genuinely proud of the work I have done. It would take the most creative agency with the most exciting opportunity to draw me away. Special is exactly that. The incredible breadth of work Special produces, the quality of the team, and the ambition to do something different with social is what made this such a compelling opportunity. I’m looking forward to pioneering this next chapter of the agency’s offering.”

Expertise and energy

Special founder, Tony Bradbourne, says: “Jess has worked both agency side and client side, and with that she brings a lot of insights, perspectives and understanding. She is someone who has been quietly doing some of the most creative, bravest, and effective social work in the country. That’s exactly the expertise and energy we are excited to be able to offer to our amazing clients.”

Special PR managing director, Kelly Grindle, adds: “Social has fundamentally changed what it means to do great PR. The lines between earned, owned and social have collapsed, and the agencies that thrive will be the ones that view social not as a channel to manage, but as a creative and strategic force in its own right. Jess brings the leadership and experience to do exactly that. She’s built something genuinely world-class with the New Zealand Police brand – growing a following of 2.8 million, navigating some of the most high-stakes communications in New Zealand, and doing it all with creativity and humanity. “

“Her appointment signals Special’s focus on growing and scaling our social offering to set the standard for effective, creative social in New Zealand, and bolster an offering our clients can’t get anywhere else.”

Bovey will work across all Special’s offerings in Aotearoa, which has teams located in Auckland and Wellington. Her appointment is effective from July 27.