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.
VMLY&R names new CEO
VMLY&R global commerce leader Jon Bird is relocating to Australia to take on the CEO role of the agency's Australian and New Zealand arm following the departure of Aden Hepburn. Currently VMLY&R’s global chief retail and commerce officer, Bird will begin his new role in July. The creative agency has also appointed Craig Page to the newly created role of head of planning for Defence Force Recruitment, following the new client win earlier in the year. Page joins from R/GA Sydney where he led the strategy and marketing science teams as executive strategy director.
Nicole Taylor exits McCann
Former McCann Worldwide CEO of Australia Nicole Taylor has exited the business to be closer to family in Europe. Taylor will return to the DDB Network in a global role as CEO of C14torce, where she will be based in Barcelona. She will lead C14torce and the SEAT partnership, reporting directly to worldwide CEO Wendy Clark and EMEA CEO Pietro Tramontin. Prior to McCann, Taylor was the CEO of DDB Sydney and worked at the agency for seven years, joining as managing partner for Volkswagen Australia.
Publicis Sapient bolsters team
Publicis Sapient, the digital transformation hub of Publicis Groupe, has boosted its strategy and consulting service and digital transformation capabilities with four senior appointments in Australia. Jane Headon joins the team as director, strategy and consulting. Prior to her appointment with Publicis Sapient, Headon led Avanade's strategy and change practice for three years. Fiona Morphett and Christopher Toyberg-Frandzen have also joined Publicis Sapient’s strategy and consulting practice as manager of strategy and consulting, respectively. With close to 15 years experience, Morphett has worked at KPMG, Kantar MiIlward Brown and the Attorney-General’s Department. Toyberg-Frandzen joins Publicis Sapient from his Copenhagen-based role as group transformation lead – payment solutions at Danske Bank. Bruce McLeod also joins the team as associate director, product management.
Hearts & Science appoints business director
Hearts & Science, Omnicom Media Group’s (OMG) newest Australian media agency has appointed Anna March as business director. March joins from Hearts & Science London and brings years of experience in the media industry, having worked in the UK for Carat, Mitchells (Aegis), OMD and MEC. She will be the lead on a number of key accounts, covering all aspects of planning, insight and activation. She is also in the process of building a new team around several recent new business wins.
GroupM New Zealand promotes Chris Riley
GroupM has promoted former Wavemaker MD and GroupM COO Chris Riley into the new role of CEO New Zealand. He will work closely with the leadership of GroupM’s four agencies in New Zealand and report to GroupM Australia and New Zealand CEO Mark Lollback. Riley has 26 years' advertising, communications and digital experience working in full service and specialist advertising and media agencies in New Zealand and in the UK. His past roles include COO at DDB New Zealand, MD of OMD New Zealand, and head of digital at MediaCom London.
SBS Media's new digital sales boss
SBS Media has appointed Danika Johnston to the newly created position of national digital sales manager. Johnston joins from Mamamia Digital Network where she was digital commercial director. She brings more than 20 years of digital, media and marketing experience. Johnston will be jointly responsible for driving SBS Media’s digital advertising sales strategy and implementation. She will lead a national digital sales team, service key agencies and clients, and manage agency trading desk relationships.
The Leading Edge hires new director
Insight, strategy and innovation consultancy The Leading Edge has appointed Erin Beggs as director, brand and innovation. Beggs was most recently director of advanced qualitative research at Ipsos Australia, responsible for research quality and design, client outcomes, client management and new business. Prior to Ipsos she ran Cultureplay, a specialist social and cultural research consultancy.
Evergen brings in new CMO
Renewable energy firm Evergen has appointed Juliette Macauley to the role of chief marketing and analytics officer. Macauley is a CPA-qualified business professional with more than 15 years’ experience in data and decision science, business analysis, business intelligence, and management accounting. She comes from the banking and financial services industry, having worked in various senior data analytics and insights roles at Commonwealth Bank and Macquarie Bank.
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