Hearts & Science, part of Omnicom Media Group (OMG), has appointed Paul Payne as chief strategy officer in Australia.
He will oversee the agency's strategy and planning product at a national level, as well as support new business activities.
Payne says he is "chuffed" to be joining the team.
"They are a great bunch of people using data and technology in innovative ways to open up fresh possibilities for brands," Payne says.
"Helping to grow this spirit of invention and exploration is what excites me the most.”
Payne has more than 20 years’ experience in strategic roles across media, creative and branding agencies.
Most recently he co-founded the ThinkTruck, a fast-moving strategy and creative consultancy.
Prior to that Payne held a number of senior positions, including the role of chief strategy officer in Australia, APAC and the USA for agencies including Mediacom, and OMG companies OMD and PHD.
Jeremy Bolt, CEO of Hearts & Science Australia, says he is delighted to have Payne back in OMG and believes the addition of Payne to the growing team and client portfolio comes at a perfect time.
“This is a pivotal time both in the Hearts journey and for the broader industry. We have all been challenged by recent events to rethink how we look at things," Bolt says.
"For our clients one of the opportunities is to look at how they connect with people and to ask how they can play an increasingly valuable role in their lives.
"For Hearts this is by designing and delivering more innovative customer journeys and experiences. Now more than ever this is about business success, not just media success.
“Paul brings a wealth of experience to drive strategy for our clients at this time.”
Payne will start at Hearts & Science on July 1.
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