Pinterest's Australian expansion

We sat down with Lottie Laws and Sam Christou, Sales Managers in Pinterest’s Sydney office, to discuss the exciting growth Pinterest is having in the region and the career opportunities that come along with it. Read on to learn more!

Pinterest is growing fast in APAC, specifically Sydney. Can you tell us why we’re seeing so much expansion in the region?

ANZ (Australia & New Zealand) is a key market for Pinterest. It’s the first market to open in APAC due to the size of the opportunity and strength of the ANZ retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors, which are endemic to our platform. In the ANZ region (and all over the world), 2020 was a year that drove Pinners to seek inspiration both for larger life events and for simpler day to day moments: how to set up a home office, tips for homeschooling kids while working, seeking pantry-friendly recipes, and more.

Using the platform as this inspiration tool but also a utility has become muscle memory and our Pinners have shown no sign of using Pinterest less as lockdown eased throughout Australia.

How is Pinterest’s brand received by partners? What about consumers?

We recently met with a major retailer who referred to Pinterest as “the sleeping giant” in digital marketing. We’re a natural fit for large brands because of our reach and the strength of our data, but also a great fit for smaller brands given our organic connection and history with SMBs. There is a shared excitement in the office around growing our presence with brands and agencies where awareness is limited. Pinterest has massive scope and potential that has gone untapped to this point, and our teams are ready to break new ground and establish strong, sustainable relationships with brands. Part of the usefulness of Pinterest is our differentiated value proposition around discovery, which gives our partners the opportunity to connect with Pinners early in their consumer journey.

As for our consumer reputation, there is definitely an innate trust between Pinterest and our Pinners that we’ve not seen at previous tech companies. We stay true to our mission, to “bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love,” in all facets of our work and this creates a halo effect around the product, the career experience, our advertiser relationships, and beyond. Our user base is consistently increasing, and there is still a lot of room for growth and expansion. Again, we sit in a really unique position where there is strong brand recognition, but still so much untapped opportunity.

This is exciting news! What does the opportunity look like for Sales professionals looking to make their next move?

The Sydney office started ramping up in early 2021, and we’re looking to double in size over the next few months. ANZ has a lot of momentum and we’re excited to grow and shape the team that will drive it.

How would you describe Pinterest’s culture in Sydney?

Because we’re growing so quickly, the company is at an exciting stage right now and the momentum is tangible. We’re an explorative and collaborative group, looking to build new things and break ground quickly. We are all working toward a shared goal and vision, and are excited to get there together.

Professionals who will thrive here are those who relish in the ability to break new ground and establish relationships with our advertising partners rather than inheriting existing ones will really thrive on the Pinterest Australia team. There is a huge element of motivation for anyone who enjoys the “it’s mine to build” work style, because it truly is just that: yours to build from the ground up. One of Pinterest’s core values is “be an owner,” and we live and breathe it here every day.

How does Pinterest stand out among other organisations you’ve worked at throughout your careers?

We both come from larger tech companies and have seen different cultures and levels of impact across the board. At Pinterest, you can truly find a sense of achievement and influence that we’ve not seen anywhere else. We are also growing much faster than many of our peers in the region, so the general feeling is positive and exciting. We’re hitting a sweet spot where our teams are small enough to fit in one building and have a deep sense of camaraderie, but large enough to have have ample resources and an exciting and communal vibe.

Any closing thoughts?

We hope we’ve inspired you by sharing our Pinterest stories! The future is looking bright and we’re excited to continue building out this strong and innovative team. To learn more about our open opportunities in Sydney, explore the Pinterest Careers Site and visit our Sydney Pinterest Recruiting board.