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.
Justin Drape departs The Monkeys
Justin Drape, group chief creative officer of The Monkeys, is leaving the company he co-founded in 2006 with Mark Green and Scott Nowell. He hasn't revealed his next move. Since their inception as the Three Drunk Monkeys 15 years ago, Drape has been instrumental in growing the agency from the three founders to more than 150 people with offices in Sydney and Melbourne.
Ogilvy promotes Foxy
Ogilvy has announced David Fox will be promoted to the role of CEO for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, effective March 1, 2021. Based in Dubai the new role encompasses responsibility for nine countries and 10 offices across the region. The move to a new regional position follows six and a half years for Fox as CEO of Ogilvy Australia, having previously spent ten years in global client roles with Ogilvy in London. An internal process to find a successor in Australia, led by Andy Main, is currently underway and an announcement will be made in due course.
ARN shakes up content and commercial teams
ARN is shaking up its content and commercial teams with the addition of three new roles. As part of the changes, Corey Layton has been promoted to head of digital audio, Adam Williams to head of audio product and innovation, and Michael Dargan to head of creative. In his new role, Layton, who was previously ARN’s head of commercial audio and podcasts, will oversee the network’s iHeartRadio and podcasting strategy. Meanwhile, Williams, previously head of SONIC at ARN, will be responsible for developing and implementing audio product strategies that drive commercial return. Dargan, previously head of campaign ideas, will lead ARN’s creative agenda, working with integration, strategy, digital, sales and connections teams to deliver creative solutions for clients.
DDB Sydney elevates Matt Chandler
DDB Sydney has announced the promotion of Matt Chandler to executive creative director following a strong year of growth for the agency in 2020. Having joined the agency as senior copywriter in 2013, Chandler was promoted to creative director in 2016 and deputy ECD in 2019. Prior to DDB, Chandler worked at agencies including Droga5, JWT and M&C Saatchi in Sydney and London. During his tenure, Chandler has created award-winning work for the agency’s roster of iconic clients including Westpac, McDonald’s and Volkswagen, and played an instrumental role in DDB’s record-breaking new business wins in 2020.
Bohemia's new head of content
Bohemia, part of the M&C Saatchi Group, has appointed Chloe Schneider as head of content. Schneider has held a number of senior content positions in the United States. Having recently returned to Australia, Schneider most recently acted as VP, brand and integrated marketing at mindbodygreen (mbg). In this role, she was responsible for branded content and integrated marketing for the lifestyle media brand, leading the social team in doubling their Instagram presence to build a following of 1.2M, while also overseeing the production of their hugely popular podcast. Prior to this, Schneider worked at Mashable where she led the creative strategy and branded content team, working globally with clients across the US, UK, Australia and Singapore.
Foxcatcher hires Dentsu alumni
Marketing data and technology business Foxcatcher has hired Varun John as head of trading as part of its continued growth. John's remit is to shape the Foxcatcher programmatic capabilities and develop solutions for clients and partners, leveraging the Foxcatcher "real-world" approach to data and contextual insight to execute digital media campaigns. John will utilise his specialist skills in operational digital, data, and technology integration with a keen eye for technical, functional detail and end to end project completion. Varun leaves his current role as senior manager of programmatic product supply at Dentsu to join Foxcatcher. His previous roles include senior operations manager at Amnet and senior trading strategist at Ctrlshift.
VMLY&R Brisbane bolsters leadership team
VMLY&R Brisbane has appointed Benjamin Davis as executive creative director and Neil Atkin as digital director, following a surge of new business wins across brand, social, experience and technology. Davis joins after ten years leading creative departments at McCann in Melbourne and Queensland. A senior creative leader for the last 15 years, Davis has built and lead creative teams for some of the most awarded and effective multi-national agencies nation-wide. Atkin brings more than 20 years’ experience in creating customer-focused digital experiences, as well as project, client, account, strategic and operational management, to VMLY&R. Atkin has previously held senior digital roles at BBDO, Critical Mass and BCM Group among others, in markets as far afield as Canada, USA, Costa Rica and Bulgaria.
MKTG Australia MD to lead APAC
Matt Connell, MKTG’s managing director, in Australia has been promoted to to lead the sports and entertainment group's efforts across the APAC region. The regional appointment is part of a raft of management changes, including Jarrad Provis as general manager, marketing strategy, and Jeremy Francis, as chief operating officer. Stephanie Rudnick, former head of PR for the American football league, the XFL, has moved to Sydney from New York and is rejoining MKTG to run the agency’s global communications effort. She will also head up the newly-developed hospitality and events offering, and continue running PR for the US women's professional soccer team Angel City FC in Los Angeles.
Audience Precision appoints head of insights
Media strategy consultancy and technology business Audience Precision has appointed senior strategy consultant Lisa Vorster as head of insights. Vorster has more than 15 years’ experience as a marketing strategist, specialising in brand planning integration, client service, and communication channel strategy development. She has worked with many brands across a range of industries, including retail, alcohol, automotive, FMCG, telecommunications, education, finance, and entertainment, such as Unilever, BMW, Virgin Mobile, AB InBev, Medicover, Colgate, Xerox and Vets Choice. Vorster joins Audience Precision from consultancy roles at Mentor Marketing and Carat Perth.
Verizon boss joins Unltd board
Paul Sigaloff, the managing director of Verizon Media ANZ, has been appointed board director of the industry’s social purpose organisation UnLtd. Sigaloff, a longtime supporter of UnLtd, starts the new role this month. Sigaloff has more than 20 years of experience in the media industry from both the UK and Australia and is a board member of the IAB.
Endemol Shine restructures
Endemol Shine Australia, a Banijay company, has announced a restructure within its executive management team. Award-winning executive producer Amelia Fisk will take on the position of director of content, Sydney. MasterChef Australia executive producer Marty Benson will become director of content, Melbourne. Current commercial director Scott Howard has been promoted to chief operating officer. Jane Macaulay, currently director of production, has been promoted to director of production and post production. Elliot Spencer, director of development and creative services has been promoted to creative director. A newly-created position which will see him working on the creative architecture of Endemol Shine Australia’s programs and its branding added to his current development duties.
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