Airbnb ANZ comms lead Sophie Onikul departs
Sophie Onikul exits Airbnb after choppy three years
Airbnb ANZ communications lead Sophie Onikul has exited the short-stay accommodation provider after almost three years.
Onikul joined the company from eBay in June 2023 as regional head of communications, shortly before Airbnb faced one of its biggest local PR crises when it was fined $15 million for allegedly tricking customers into paying higher prices over several years.
A former radio producer at 2GB for Ray Hadley, who later moved into NSW government communications, Onikul’s tenure at Airbnb ANZ was marked by a period of regulatory scrutiny, including crackdowns on short‑stay accommodation by Brisbane City Council and South Australia.
Onikul was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
Mumbrella has sought comment from Airbnb via its local PR agency, Herd MSL, regarding how the role will be managed now.
According to Linkedn, Airbnb’s local in‑house communications team includes Madeleine Wilson, senior communications manager for ANZ, and Kim Balassa, a Sydney‑based senior communications manager for Asia Pacific.
Independent agency Thrive PR was previously appointed as the sole communications agency for Airbnb in Australia and New Zealand, but was replaced by Publicis-owned Herd MSL in 2024.
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