Media agency GroupM Australiahas appointed Ryan Menezes, currently with Publicis Groupe's Starcom, as chief technology and transformation officer (CTTO).
Menezes replaces Cameron King who has decided to step down to move to the US with his family.
The appointment underlines WPP AUNZ’s strategy of creativity empowered by tech and builds on GroupM’s existing tech capabilities.
Menezes will be responsible for programmatic, search and social, and adtech and martech consultancy, and will lead GroupM’s team of performance and digital specialists.
"I am really excited to join the GroupM family to build on the strong momentum Cam has achieved," he says.
"I'm passionate about helping brands and agency partners navigate change by understanding their strategic business challenges and developing digital roadmaps for business transformation.
"Now more than ever, businesses are looking to quickly evolve in order to stay competitive, relevant and authentic.
"I'm looking forward to working with the amazing talent and market leading digital, technology and commerce solutions in GroupM team to enable digital transformation that's purpose-built to deliver true business value for clients.”
Menezes will oversee GroupM’s growing media technology and programmatic divisions including, Xaxis, GroupM Commerce and Plista.
He will work closely with GroupM’s Investment & Partnerships Team, and alongside GroupM agencies Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, and Essence and Addressable TV business Finecast.
Menezes is currently head of digital and commerce at Starcom Australia, part of the Publicis Groupe.
He has more than a decade of digital marketing and agency experience, locally and overseas in Japan and Canada with roles at Publicis Groupe, Initiative and UM.
Mark Lollback, GroupM Australia & New Zealand CEO, says Menezes is an innovative thinker with market leading digital marketing and transformation experience.
"He has a track record of delivering results and providing strategic leadership across local and international markets," says Lollback.
"At GroupM, we make advertising work better through data-based insights and sound media strategies and have combed the market for the best digital and tech talent with experience in marketing technology to help deliver that in Australia."
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