Consulting firm KPMG has appointed a national managing partner of brand and innovation, to boost its ability to tackle the disruption facing its clients and help them reposition for change.
Ken Reid, who formerly headed up the media practice at KPMG Australia, replaces Martin Sheppard who has become CEO at ASX100 company, Spotless Group.
Reid will oversee KPMG's solutions to client challenges emerging from disruptive trends in technology, customer experience and product and service innovation. His background in auditing and advisory roles in telecoms and media mean he has a top-line perspective on the impact of disruption and how it impacts businesses, according to KPMG.
KPMG Australia CEO, Gary Wingrove, said: “I created the brand and innovation leadership role just over two years ago when I started as CEO, and it’s proven to have been integral to the firm’s repositioning in the market as well as initiating cultural change within the firm. Now is the right time to deepen the portfolio and expand the role’s remit to include a third area, disruption.”
KPMG is one of the big four global consulting firms and is increasingly looking for innovative ways to help offer clients ways to deal with disruption and change in their business. Over the past two years it has launched late-stage accelerator elevate61, early-stage incubator Energise, and the digital shop front Marketplace to operate alongside its established KPMG Innovate business and an internal crowd sourcing initiative designed to create a 'safe-to-fail' environment.
KPMG says Reid will be responsible for “presenting a holistic innovation and disruption offering” and driving alignment across divisions.
Reid said: “We have entered an age of rapid and constant change. Our recent Global CEO survey revealed that the top four concerns of CEO’s are related to the disruption caused by new technologies and other advances impacting customer experience, product development and people management. Now, more than ever before, innovation and disruption are at the centre of boardroom discussions on strategy.”
KPMG marketing director Julie Cutler and Kristin Silva, head of communications, will report in to him.
Reid is also a board member of KPMG’s elevate61 accelerator program and plays a role in the firm’s Global Audit innovation projects. Has has in the past also been a board member of AIMIA.
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