It's hard to keep up with all the latest moves across media, marketing and advertising, so we've made a list. Check out the biggest moves in adland this week:
MediaCom boss Sean Seamer to depart for Supercars role
MediaCom boss Sean Seamer has been appointed CEO of Supercars to replace new APN Outdoor chief executive James Warburton. AdNews understands Seamer will not begin the new role at the touring car racing business for at least six months while a global search is under way for his successor. Seamer was chosen as the Supercars CEO from 'a high calibre' list of candidates and has a remit to build the domestic and international success of Australia's premier racing business. Read more here.
Bauer digital boss Christian Fricke exits
Bauer Xcel boss Christian Fricke has resigned from the publisher after less than 18 months in the role. Fricke relocated to Australia to take up the position in June last year, following several years at the Germany branch of Bauer. He replaced Carl Hammerschmidt. In a statement, Bauer says Fricke is leaving to return to Germany for "family reasons". As part of the management shake-up introduced by new CEO Paul Dykzeul earlier this year, Fricke took on an expanded position to also lead the company’s creative platform Bauer Labs. Read more here.
GM Mim Haysom exits M&C Saatchi
M&C Saatchi’s general manager Mim Haysom has resigned from the agency after nearly two years in the role. She exits to persue another opportunity, now entering a period of gardening leave before her next move. Haysom joined M&C Saatchi in 2014 as managing partner, promoted to GM in 2016. She has previously held roles at Cummins&Partners and TBWA. AdNews understands there has been a number of redundancies at M&C Saatchi following the loss of NRMA, but Haysom was not one of them.
Graeme Yardy replaces Andrew Howie at MLA
Graeme Yardy has been hired as marketing manager at MLA, replaces Andrew Howie. Howie announced his departure earlier this year, leaving to join Westpac.Yardy was previously the marketing lead at Horticulture Innovation Australia for two years. Earlier in his career, Yardy has also held marketing management, brand management and account management positions with Wrigley Pacific, Johnson & Johnson and Kraft Foods. He will report through to MLA chief marketing and communications officer Lisa Sharp.
Iris' Callum Walker joins M&C Saatchi Melbourne
Former Iris group account director Callum Walker has joined M&C Saatchi Melbourne after nearly three years at the Sydney independent. He takes on the group account director role at M&C Saatchi, leading the Lexus business as its parent company, Toyota, transitions from Sydney to Melbourne. Walker has spent more than 10 years in Sydney agencies, also holding roles at DDB, Host and Clemenger. M&C Saatchi Melbourne has been bolstering its Melbourne team in preparation for Lexus' move, hiring Andy Nairn as its managing director earlier this month. Iris is yet to replace Walker.
Havas Media promotes Imogen Hewitt to group MD
Havas Media has promoted its strategy lead Imogen Hewitt to group managing director. Hewitt has been chief strategy officer at Havas Media since she joined the company three years ago, and has been jointly leading the Havas Village Australia Strategy Hub. Hewitt's remit in her new role will be to oversee the agency's operations across the Havas Media Group portfolio. She will continue to play a key role in the Havas Village model that brings sister agencies Red Agency and Host/Havas together to create seamless integrated services to best meet the needs of clients. Read more here.
Nike Australia marketing director exits for Asia role
Nike’s Australia and New Zealand marketing director Brant Hirst is exiting to take up a post with the sports brand in Seoul, Korea. His move comes just months after launching the brand's first major brand campaign in Australia for a decade. 'No Turning Back' was developed by the team on the ground here and Nike's global agency Wieden+Kennedy, Portland. Hirst is replaced by Andrew Keith, who has been with Nike since 2012 and currently leads the Nike football division. He has held a number of senior brand and planning roles within Nike. He most recently led sales for its sportswear and football portfolio. Read more here.
Sizmek boss exits
Rocket Fuel Australia's country lead, Mailee Creacy, will leave the business at the end of the year and will return to the US. Creacy has been with the predictive marketing software company for seven years, mostly in New York, but moved to Australia 14 months ago to take on the GM role. She was one of few senior women in a leadership ad tech role. Read more here.
Zenith announces two senior appointments in Sydney
Zenith has promoted Kylie Sneddon to the newly created role of national marketing and commercial director while Mark Johnson has been appointed as Sydney’s head of performance. Sneddon has been at Zenith for two years and will be responsible for driving the marketing profile and commercial success of the agency nationally. Johnson joins Zenith from Mediacom, where he was a group digital director. Originally from the UK, Johnson has more than 11 years industry experience having worked in digital marketing agency Latitude and for the last five years has progressed in a variety of performance roles at Mediacom. Johnson replaces Vinetha Manthena who was with Zenith for six years.
303 MullenLowe makes "serious investment" in data capabilities
303 MullenLowe is expanding its digital capabilities, appointing four senior specialists in CRM, marketing automation and data analytics after winning the Audi digital account earlier this year. Charles Rallings joins as digital operations director. His previous roles including COO at DDB Sydney and MD at Tribal DDB. Other hires include; Anne-Sophie Mazurek as marketing automation and CRM specialist; and Henry Woo, head of data analytics, and Sophie de Flamingh, CRM strategist, who join from Holler. CEO Nick Cleaver described the hires as a "serious investment"
Ex-Diageo marketer joins Destination NSW
Destination NSW has hired Nathan Ting to the position of director of digital marketing services. Ting has worked with some of the world’s best known brands, including Microsoft, Xbox, Coca Cola, Volkswagen, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble and most recently at Diageo. He was at Diageo for two years.
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