GroupM has appointed Scott Laird, the head of HR at Initiative, as chief people officer.
Laird will lead the people and culture practice at groupM working closely with the HR leads in Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker and Essence.
“I was immediately drawn to GroupM’s mission of making advertising work better for people," says Laird.
"An exciting and bold mission that simplifies the connection between the people strategy and the businesses ambition to help shape the next era of media. I’m thrilled to join Aimee (Buchanan) and the GroupM team at what is an exciting time for the network, its agencies and people.”
He replaces Cindy Grass, who is stepping down in November to pursue new opportunities. Grass has spent 14 years within WPP and has been GroupM’s Chief HR & Talent Officer since 2017.
Laird is currently chief people officer for IPG Mediabrands agency Initiative. He has also held senior roles at Publicis Groupe.
He was named an AdNews Emerging Leader in 2020.
Laird is being replaced at Initiative by Erin Jakubans who moves from Dubai where she was head of HR for Baker McKenzie. Initiative CEO Melissa Fein: “Scott played a key role in the transformation of Initiative to achieve the momentum we have today. We sincerely thank him for his time with us.”
Aimee Buchanan, GroupM CEO: “Our people are the most important asset of GroupM, and are what helps us innovate, differentiate, and generate value for our clients. We are thrilled to have someone with Scott’s talent, energy and passion joining our leadership team.
"Scott has always impressed me with his innovative and empathetic approach to people & culture. I look forward to working with him to ensure that our people are nurtured, developed and supported in every way possible."
Buchanan on the departure of Cindy Grass: “Cindy has had a tremendous impact on our business, and more importantly our people, in Australia over the years and she leaves with our full appreciation for everything she has done and our best wishes for the future.”
GroupM has also expanded its People & Talent team in recent months welcoming Jane Kezerle as Senior People Services Manager and adding two new talent recruitment experts and two new HR Advisors.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.