EXCLUSIVE: Publicis-owned media agency ZenithOptimedia has appointed outgoing Naked Communications Sydney MD Ian Perrin as chief executive.
Publicis Groupe Australia chairman Graeme Wills confirmed the move to AdNews this morning.
“Ian was chosen for his creative thinking, his natural thinking and his future thinking," Wills said. "Perrin comes from a very creative agency, and his strengths lie in his strong creative thinking.”
Several industry sources have indicated that ZenithOptimedia has not been firing on all cylinders since the departure of chief executive Belinda Rowe at the end of 2009. Rowe left the agency to take on a global Zenith role.
Wills said the agency has still been performing well, however he also said: “The business hasn’t been as visible lately. It has been holding onto its clients, but hasn’t been winning new clients.”
The appointment of Perrin allows Vivaki Exchange managing director Mark Kennedy to withdraw from his leadership role at ZenithOptimedia and take on his responsibilities at Vivaki more fully.
Prior to the appointment, Kennedy was straddling leadership roles at Vivaki and ZenithOptimedia. Vivaki is the centralised investment unit which handles the combined billings of ZenithOptimedia and Starcom.
Perrin will join ZenithOptimedia’s existing management structure, and will work with chief operating officer Andrew Sherman and strategy partner Nicole Milward.
One of Perrin’s first tasks in the job will be defending the Qantas business, which recently went out to review, as revealed by AdNews. It was revealed last week that Perrin is to step down from his role at Naked Communications.
Perrin will have responsibility for the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland offices. He will join the company on 28 November.
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