Ting Zhang, Nicole Jurke and Shai Luft. Credit: Bench Media
Bench Media has promoted two senior executives, elevating Nicole Jurke to head of people and culture and appointing Ting Zhang as financial controller.
Jurke joins the agency’s management team after almost nine years with the business. Her expanded role covers talent attraction and retention, employee experience and internal processes, with a focus on maintaining long-tenured client teams and senior continuity.
Bench co-founder and chief operating officer Shai Luft said the promotion reflected the agency’s emphasis on stability and experience.
“Nicole’s promotion reinforces Bench’s commitment to providing clients with experienced, highly engaged teams who remain invested in their businesses over the long term,” Luft said.
“Bench’s staff retention rate is more than twice the industry average, giving clients confidence in stable relationships, deep knowledge and consistent delivery.”
Jurke said culture remained central to client outcomes.
“I’m incredibly proud of the culture we’ve built at Bench and excited to extend my remit as we continue strengthening the foundations that allow our people, and in turn, our clients, to thrive,” she said.
“Bench has always believed that great work starts with great people, and I’m committed to ensuring our teams feel supported, empowered and motivated to deliver exceptional results.”
Zhang steps into the financial controller role after six years with the agency.
She will oversee relationships with financial institutions, client finance teams and insurers, and continue to embed financial governance and commercial discipline.
Zhang’s remit includes maintaining billing processes and financial transparency to support campaign delivery and decision-making.
Luft said the appointments supported the agency’s longer-term growth.
“These promotions reflect Bench’s ongoing investment in its people and operations to deliver better outcomes for clients,” he said.
“Nicole and Ting are great examples of the culture we have built at Bench, long-tenured, deeply knowledgeable and a team driven by a genuine can-do attitude.
“As we build on our growth foundations in 2026 and beyond, Nicole and Ting’s leadership will help more brands experience what a better, more collaborative media agency partnership looks like.”
Both promotions take effect immediately.
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