Advertising Leader Jane Callister Joins Impala Talent

Why It Matters

Her insider perspective can improve talent‑agency alignment, easing recruitment bottlenecks and strengthening agency capabilities in a rapidly evolving market.

Key Takeaways

• Jane Callister brings 30 years agency leadership experience.
• Impala Talent gains insider recruitment expertise for ad industry.
• Appointment addresses talent shortages and retention challenges.
• Focus on hybrid creative, data, technology skill sets.
• Enhances candidate assessment beyond technical abilities.

Pulse Analysis

The advertising industry is confronting a perfect storm of talent scarcity, evolving client demands, and the need for hybrid skill sets that blend creativity, data analytics, and technology. Traditional recruitment models often miss the nuanced cultural and operational fit required for modern agency teams, leading to higher turnover and project delays. As agencies restructure to deliver integrated campaigns, the pressure to source professionals who can navigate both strategic storytelling and data‑driven insights has intensified, making specialized recruitment partners essential.

Jane Callister’s appointment to Impala Talent brings a rare combination of executive agency experience and hands‑on operational knowledge. Having led large teams at global powerhouses like Publicis UK and M&C Saatchi, she understands the fast‑paced, collaborative environments that define successful campaigns. This background enables her to evaluate candidates not just on technical competence but on adaptability, mindset, and cultural alignment—qualities agency leaders repeatedly cite as critical. Her extensive network also provides immediate access to senior‑level talent often hidden from conventional search firms.

For Impala Talent, Callister’s insider expertise signals a strategic shift toward deeper, consultancy‑style recruitment services. Clients can expect more precise matching of hybrid skill profiles, reducing the time‑to‑hire and improving retention rates. In the broader market, her move underscores a growing trend: recruitment firms are hiring industry veterans to bridge the gap between talent supply and the complex demands of modern advertising. This evolution is likely to raise the overall quality of hires, fostering more innovative and resilient agency teams as the sector continues its digital transformation.

Advertising leader Jane Callister joins Impala Talent

February 17 2026, 12:48 pm · By Ricki Green

Impala Talent, the specialist recruitment consultancy focused on digital, brand and experience, has announced the appointment of Jane Callister. A highly regarded figure in Australian advertising and marketing, with a career spanning 30 years at leading agencies including Publicis UK, JWT, DDB, TBWA, M&C Saatchi, The Core Agency and more, Callister brings a level of understanding rarely seen in agency recruitment.

Callister’s move into recruitment comes at a pivotal moment for the industry, with agencies navigating shifting client expectations, talent shortages, limited training & development, retention challenges, and widespread structural change. Her decision reflects a broader industry need for recruitment partners who truly understand the realities of the advertising & brand world, its evolving business models, its challenges with retention, and the growing demand for hybrid creative, data, and technology skills.

Cam McKay, Director, Impala Talent:

“Jane offers something unique to our clients and that is lived experience. She understands the challenges advertising & marketing leaders are facing, because she’s been through them herself. Her network is outstanding, as is her reputation, and she knows how to run a great process. Three key elements needed to deliver a high‑calibre recruitment service.”

Callister built her reputation leading large agency teams, running complex time‑critical creative and operational workflows, leading pitches, coaching and developing talent, and working closely with senior leaders and client stakeholders on delivery.

Her depth of operational and cultural understanding will enable her to assess candidates not just on skillset, but on adaptability, mindset, pace, and collaborative maturity—the qualities agency leaders repeatedly cite as essential for modern teams.

Jane Callister:

“I’m not interested in plugging gaps. I’m keen to align the right talent to the right company and the right teams. I like to get under the skin of agencies and brands, understand their structure, their business, their culture and what’s next to ensure the right skill set and chemistry for success for both sides.”