The Lab bolsters Melbourne strategy team with Fiftyfive5 alumna and global consulting hires

Insight and strategy consultancy The Lab has made three new appointments to its Melbourne team, with Senior Quantitative Strategist Nassia Galanis and Strategists Darcey Bates and Josh Osborn joining as the business heads into a new financial year.

The hires coincide with the return of Managing Director Rebecca Brody from parental leave, who will lead the next phase of growth for the Melbourne operation.

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The new appointments

Galanis brings more than eight years' experience in insights and consulting, including time at Fiftyfive5, where she worked across retail, FMCG, sport, entertainment and higher education.

She specialises in translating complex data into commercially grounded recommendations.

Bates has a background spanning sport, healthcare, corporate and public affairs, with prior roles at West Ham United Football Club and agency-side work for clients including Amazon, Meta and AstraZeneca.

Osborn joins with more than five years' experience across the UK, Singapore and Australia, having worked on brand positioning, innovation, category growth and shopper strategy for Fortune 500 FMCG and pharmaceutical clients.

Brody said the calibre of the incoming team reflected The Lab's broader direction.

"Coming back to a team with this much energy, curiosity and talent is incredibly exciting. Nassia, Josh and Darcey each bring something different, whether it's deep quantitative expertise, global consulting experience or a client-side perspective that helps challenge conventional thinking," she said.

"At The Lab, we've always believed the best ideas come from seeing things differently. Clients aren't looking for more information; they're looking for fresh perspectives, clarity and direction. By bringing together research, strategy and consulting expertise under one roof, we're building a team that can help organisations uncover opportunities they might otherwise miss and make decisions with greater confidence."

Founded in 2006, The Lab operates studios in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, working across retail, finance, government, FMCG, and sport.

Main image: Rebecca Brody, Darcey Bates, Josh Osborn, Nassia Galanis

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