Social publishing pioneer Melissa Chapman is leaving Jungle Creations at the end of the year, after more than a decade with the firm – the last two as sole CEO.
Chapman said: “Those who know me well will know how hard a decision this was to make. I joined Jungle in my early 20s when it was just an idea in a box room in Shoreditch and have been lucky enough to be a part of the business growth over the following 10 years with the most talented, creative and brilliant people around, truly.”
Picking out highlights from her time at Jungle, she cited the sale of the business to private equity firm Livingbridge and the receipt of a Cannes Lion: “We launched a beer and over 50 restaurants, and built a global following of over 150m followers for our own channels. We name the likes of PepsiCo, Disney, Red Bull and DFS as key clients. We made $1 million in a month selling personalised pet socks because it was a fun idea, and we opened a bar in Shoreditch:”
Chapman said Jungle, which started out as a single Facebook page, “has given me the platform to grow and develop in a way I will forever be grateful for.”
Discussing her departure, she said: “I took a moment this summer to pause and think about what’s next for me personally. Jungle is thriving, we have an incredible leadership team in place, a clear strategy and we are in strong growth. I feel super proud of my period leading this business and where we are today. This is what makes it the right moment for me to follow my own ambitions, which is to take on something new in a space I’m really passionate about. More on that later.”
Chapman took over as CEO when her co-CEO Nat Poulter left in 2023. Poulter is currently VP, digital – commercial at BBC
