SYDNEY — Sling & Stone founder and CEO Vuki Vujasinovic is stepping down after 14 years with the Australia-based PR firm. 

From January 1, Sling & Stone will be led by current global head of business and 10-agency veteran James Hutchinson, who has been named CEO.

Founded by Vujasinovic in 2010 to focus on startups and disruptor brands in Australia, Sling & Stone has grown to a team of more than 80 across Australia, the US, New Zealand and Singapore. The agency was acquired by VCCP in 2021, setting up the technology-focused Outleap partnership with Method Communications in the US and Harvard in the UK. 

“Growing this agency has been the absolute pinnacle of my working life,” said Vujasinovic . “I’ve had the privilege of working alongside incredible people and an insanely exciting network of clients. The time is right for me to step back, spend time with family, and plan for the future. 

“The leadership team, helmed by James, is second to none, and I know Sling & Stone’s best days are ahead of it. I’m going to be the most overenthusiastic cheerleader from the sidelines, and can’t wait to see how the agency evolves in this new chapter.”

A regular winner of PRovoke's Best Agency to Work For, Sling & Stone was also named Australasian PR Consultancy of the Year in 2020.

“Over the past 14 years, we’ve become the go-to communications agency for challengers and disrupters, from startups like Leonardo.ai to scale-ups like Monarch Tractors and enterprises like Google Cloud,” Hutchinson said. “I have had the rare opportunity to see the growth of our agency under Vuki’s leadership up close over the past decade, and as we enter our next chapter, I’m thrilled at the opportunity to lead a world-class team and help shape the future with our clients.”