PHD has named Chris Stephenson, who started the Omnicom Media Group agency in Australia, worldwide chief marketing officer.
He succeeds Avril Canavan, who, after 11 years in the role, left the network last month to consult.
Stephenson, who is currently PHD regional head of strategy and planning for APAC based in Singapore, will move to London and start the role in January.
Stephenson: “I can’t wait to get started in this new role at such an exciting time for PHD, and at such a pivotal moment for our industry.
"For the last two decades I’ve been fortunate to work with brands to engage their audiences in positive, constructive, and innovative ways.
"Now, powered by our ‘Make the Leap’ philosophy, I couldn’t be more excited to be working with our network around the world to do that for PHD.”
He will report to Philippa Brown, Worldwide CEO and be responsible for the strategic direction of the network’s external and internal marketing, aligned to business development goals.
Philippa Brown, PHD Worldwide CEO: “Chris is a talented marketer who understands the PHD brand proposition, product and platforms better than anyone.
"As well as having solid client experience and a deep understanding of our proprietary systems like Omni and Omni Studio, he has co-authored and championed PHD’s thought leadership over the years, presenting it on industry platforms across APAC.
"He is known as a truly creative thinker and, as Worldwide chief marketing officer, will be instrumental in showcasing how PHD’s strategic, creative thinking can help brands make the leap ahead of their competitors”.
Stephenson's career with PHD spans nearly two decades and has seen him work in London, Sydney and Singapore. He joined PHD UK in 2003 before moving to Australia to launch PHD Sydney in 2009.
He was promoted to head of strategy and planning for APAC out of Singapore in 2015 and has become a regular and respected commentator on the communications industry, presenting on stages at Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, MediaTech Asia and Mumbrella360.
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.