Nine hires TikTok’s Simon Bates to lead new 'centre of excellence' unit

Nine has appointed TikTok’s Simon Bates as director of social media and off-platform, as the broadcaster builds out a new “centre of excellence” within its streaming and broadcast team.

Bates confirmed the move in a LinkedIn post, where he said he will lead the newly formed division focused on social and off-platform distribution.

He joins from TikTok, where he spent more than five years, most recently as general manager and head of content for Australia and New Zealand. In that role, he oversaw creator, publisher and content partnerships, working across entertainment, sport and news, and managing relationships with major media partners and top creators.

Bates was part of TikTok’s early team in Australia and played a role in scaling the platform’s local presence, including leading initiatives such as the TikTok Awards and partnerships with major venues and entertainment properties.

"Being part of ByteDance during such a hyper-growth phase was a genuinely unique experience," he wrote on LinkedIn. "Constant momentum, massive scale, and no shortage of challenges. I’m particularly proud of helping grow the AUNZ community to over 12 million users. Working alongside brilliant global teams, publisher partners, and creators shaping culture has been a career highlight."

Prior to TikTok, Bates spent eight years at Paramount, including as vice president and head of MTV APAC, where he oversaw brand, programming and commercial operations across multiple markets.

He said the opportunity to connect world-class content with audiences across third-party platforms for Stan, 9Now and 9Network was very exciting.

"From the Olympics, NRL, Premier League and Rugby, or cultural staples like The Block, MAFS, 60 Minutes, and the incredible slate of Stan Originals, the IP is second to none."