MEC has opened a Melbourne office to be headed by former Mindshare business development officer Jenny Pham, and MEC Melbourne has already won a multi-million piece of business on the back of the move.
The media agency announced the opening this morning, with GE Money and GE Capital the foundation clients for the Melbourne branch.
The Melbourne office will also service MEC's Michelin and Nestle healthcare account, and its newly-won piece of business.
It has also pinched personal care products company Combe International from StarcomMediaVest, a piece of business MEC said is worth $3 million.
The new office will be headed up by Pham, who was appointed from GroupM sister agency Mindshare in Sydney after she put her hand up to head south.
Speaking to AdNews this morning, MEC CEO Peter Vogel said it was important for the agency to have a local physical presence in Melbourne.
“Clients still love the face-to-face meeting,” Vogel said. “There's nothing like being able to sit across from them at a table and actually talk to them.”
Pham said having the face-to-face element was even more important in a market such as Melbourne.
“Melbourne is a relationships-led market and the conversations we get to have with clients are really insightful,” Pham said.
Vogel also praised Pham for putting herself forward for the role, and said while Melbourne was an established market, there was room for growth which MEC would seek to tap into.
The opening of the Melbourne office comes hot on the heels of MEC opening a Brisbane branch, with Domino's Pizza the foundation client there.
“With Melbourne now in the fold, in addition to Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane, MEC is a truly national agency with a rich offering of resources across all offices,” Vogel said.
MEC is now focusing on getting the office set up, and said it would be hiring staff in coming months.
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