Six days after taking the reins of Network Ten, new boss James Warburton has made his first executive appointment, hiring Mike Morrison as chief sales officer.
Morrison will start in the newly-created position on Monday 9 January and will sit above national sales manager Kylie Rogers. Morrison was previously chief strategy officer at Y&R Brands and has also worked at George Patterson Y&R and Clemenger BBDO. More recently he ran a consultancy called Pitch to Win and was national strategy director at SapientNitro.
Warburton began his position as Ten chief executive this week following a protracted period of forced 'gardening leave'. Ten poached Warburton from Seven, where he was chief sales and digital officer, in March 2011 which resulted in a high profile court battle between the two networks.
Warburton was legally bound from starting his new position until 1 January this year. Ten part-owner Lachlan Murdoch has been interim chief executive from when former boss Grant Blackley was pushed out.
Warburton said: "Mike's appointment signals a major change in the creative renewal of our sales approach. He has a brilliant reputation for pitching, an exceptional knowledge of brands, and is a creative thinker who is very client centric.
"Mike is a key appointment. He is a fierce competitor and we need that sort of attitude to enable Ten to compete more effectively in a challenging market."
Morrison said: "I'm delighted with this new role, and to be joining James at Ten. It will be a great challenge but I'm sure it will also be very rewarding.
"I'm also thrilled to be working with Kylie Rogers as part of my team, continuing her role as national sales manager, solidifying our sales force for 2012."
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