AdNews editor Rosie Baker is set to exit the publisher to join GroupM as group communications director. Baker will exit in mid-March.
Digital editor Pippa Chambers has been promoted to editor, having run AdNews digital for the past three years. She will now take on a more holistic role leading the AdNews content strategy across print, digital and events. Prior to joining AdNews, Chambers was a newspaper journalist and later specialised in covering the impact of technology on advertising and the media in the UK.
Senior journalist Arvind Hickman takes on the new role of news editor and Lindsay Bennett becomes online editor. The team will continue to work with content editor Nicola Riches to deliver the most credible editorial content in the industry across print, digital and events.
You can find contact details for the whole team here.
James Yaffa, AdNews publisher says: “Rosie has been instrumental in the development and success of AdNews across all platforms, more importantly she has created and fostered a terrific team culture and is one of the most professional colleagues that I have had the pleasure of working with.
“Under her leadership, AdNews has expanded its event offering, reinvigorated the role of the magazine and produced significant digital growth.
“On a personal level we will all miss Rosie, a bundle of enthusiasm and energy who always strives for excellence and I wish her every success at GroupM.”
Baker relocated from London to join AdNews as marketing editor in 2013 and was promoted to editor in October 2014.
She says: “Moving to Australia to join AdNews changed my life and I’ve loved every challenge it’s thrown my way - and there have been many. After nearly five years at AdNews it’s time to take on a new challenge. I’m looking forward to using my journalistic background to better communicate GroupM’s values, vision and purpose to internal and external stakeholders.”
“With Pippa as editor, and the strengths of Arvind, Lindsay, and Nicola, AdNews has an incredible editorial team in place to continue the momentum online, in print and events.
“The team will continue to go from strength-to-strength with Pippa at the helm.”
During her time as editor Baker oversaw the relaunch of the print magazine as a monthly title, including a new look and feel and a new strapline introducing the concept ‘Thinking. Insights. Ideas.’ and the introduction of the AdNews Podcast.
AdNews has also grown its events portfolio including the launch of the AdNews Live brand, which in 2017 included the half-day forums Tackling Transparency and Reframing Australia. Baker also oversaw the rebranding of the annual Summit event to The Media + Marketing Summit and its expansion to Melbourne for the first time.
At GroupM, Baker will take on responsibility for group PR and Marketing, as well as bringing an editorial focus to GroupM’s internal and external communications. She will work closely with GroupM’s senior leadership team and report to GroupM CEO Mark Lollback.
She will work across all GroupM agencies: Mindshare, Wavemaker, Mediacom, Essence and [m]Platform, taking on Greg (Sparrow) Graham’s PR responsibilities as he focuses on his expanded role at WPP AUNZ.
Mark Lollback, GroupM CEO Australia & New Zealand, says: “Rosie is a highly respected editor & journalist in our industry and it’s brilliant to have someone of Rosie’s calibre joining the Group. Rosie will take our Communications strategy to a new level & promote the Group with compelling stories that cut through in the marketplace. I’m personally very excited to have Rosie as part of the GroupM family.”
The AdNews Agency of the Year Awards are on 15 March. Tickets are available now.
The Sydney Media + Marketing Summit is on 4 May. The Melbourne event is on 25 July.
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