It's hard to keep up with all the latest moves across media, marketing and advertising, so we've made a list. Check out the biggest moves in adland this week.
CHE Proximity redundancies
CHE Proximity has made its managing director roles redundant as it prepares to keep the agency afloat throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Vanessa Nicol, who was MD for the Sydney office, was made redundant after just over a year in the role. Nicol joined the agency last year from the wider Clemenger Group where she had been managing partner in the New Zealand team. She has also previously been head of Telstra at OMD Australia and group head at M&C Saatchi Sydney where she led the Optus account. A Melbourne MD was due to start with CHE Proximity but CEO Chris Howatson says their start date has been delayed until January 2021.
Sunita Gloster departs WPP AUNZ
WPP AUNZ has announced the departure of its chief customer officer Sunita Gloster. The holding company released a statement saying Gloster's departure was by "mutual decision". Gloster joined the holding company at the beginning of last year. Prior to that, she has held roles as CMO Advisory Director and Advisory Board Director at PwC and been the CEO of the Australian Association of National Advertisers. She has also worked in London as chief operating officer at both M&C Saatchi and HMDG.
News Corp to cut jobs
News Corp Australia is cutting staff numbers, and reducing work hours, as the coronavirus eats into advertising revenue. The Australia executive team will also take pay cuts, executive chair Michael Miller told staff. The company, Australia's biggest publisher of newspapers and news sites, did not give numbers on jobs to go or the reduction in total hours worked. Miller told staff the new arrangements will continue to the end of May, with regular reviews.
Twitter appoints first head of agency
Twitter has appointed Emily Foat as its first head of agency in Australia. Foat has been with the social media company since 2015, most recently working as its client partner lead for government and tourism. In the newly-created role, she will focus on providing further support for Twitter’s network of agency partners, such as creating new programs and leading training.
Clems Sydney changes creative leadership
Clemenger BBDO Sydney has announced a change of creative leadership with the departure of chief creative officer Ben Coulson. Coulson joined the Sydney agency from Y&R in 2017 where he was CCO for Australia and New Zealand, succeeding Paul Nagy at the time. Clemenger BBDO Sydney has now promoted both creative directors Brendan Willenberg and Darren Wright to the position of joint executive creative directors. Willenberg joined the agency in 2012 from McCann. Wright joined the agency in 2017 when he moved to Australia, bringing experience at Grey London and Weiden + Kennedy with him.
Verizon Media bolsters branded content division
Verizon Media has bolstered its growing RYOT Studio branded content division with two senior hires. Julia Edwards joins as head of strategic solutions for RYOT and Nick Gorshenin as lead brand strategist. Edwards joins from Foxtel Media where she was head of partnerships for Foxtel & Global Partners. In her new role as head of strategic solutions, Edwards will be taking on various responsibilities while head of RYOT Studio Zoe Cocker is on maternity leave. Gorshenin was previously commercial content director at esports platform Twitch and prior to this, agency business director at Fairfax Media.
Impact creates new role
Impact has appointed Michael Head to the newly created role Chief Partnerships Officer (CPsO). Head, who was formerly the general manager of the Impact Partnership Cloud, was promoted to the role in February. Head brings more than a decade of experience in business development to the role, with nine of those years spent at Impact. In his new role, Head will be responsible for growing client partnerships, establishing new company partnerships and the overall satisfaction, retention and growth of customers. Impact has also appointed Rob Perdue, former chief operating officer and board member of The Trade Desk, to its board of directors
Revolution360 strengthens Melbourne team
Revolution360 has strengthened its Melbourne team with the addition of two account managers. Natalie Kisacanin and Brad Summers have joined the out-of-home media, immersive experiences and activated transport networks specialist. Kisacanin joins Revolution360 from Interplay Media, where she served as national account manager. Summer's background includes roles as account manager with Channel 31 and as advertising and content manager with Furst Media.
Diageo global CMO departs
Diageo global CMO Syl Saller has exited the company after 20 years. She will be replaced by Cristina Diezhandino who is currently the global category director for Scotch and reserve brands. Saller joined the drinks giant in 1999 as marketing director of the British team. She was promoted to the global role in 2013. She will depart the business in June to focus on leadership development, executive coaching and other roles.
Senior hires at The Hallway
Independent agency The Hallway has made two senior additions to the team, following recent business wins and growth. Marketer Erin Kelly has joined as client partner, working across accounts including Google. Kelly brings more than 15 years’ experience across start-ups and agency and was most recently the marketing lead for sustainability start-up Containers for Change, backed by Lion and Coca Cola Amatil. Prior to this she worked at agencies including TBWA and Host. Libby Hams has taken on the newly created head of project management role, spearheading an integrated team of producers and project managers. Hams has previously led agency operations and production for Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, M&C Saatchi, DDB and BMF.
Avid Collective grows team
Digital media network Avid Collective has announced the appointment of two new senior leaders. Georgia Faure joins the team as head of digital. She worked with the Nine Network, before moving to Ogilvy Australia as social media manager and holding a similar role at global marketing agency VML. More recently, Faure has worked client side with Lion as a digital brand manager. Batoul Peters, who was previously global director of innovation and partnerships at Global Traffic Network and head of strategy and partnerships at Mamamia, is the new client solutions director. Peters has 15 years’ experience in the media and digital sectors. She has worked with Commercial Radio Australia, Macquarie Media and Seven West Media in strategy roles.
M&C Saatchi S&E's new head of comms
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment (S&E) has appointed Krystyna Frassetto to the role of head of comms. The position will see Frassetto manage communications for S&E’s suite of clients with solutions that span PR, influencer engagement, social and paid, as well as working closely with the wider M&C Saatchi Group. Frassetto has held roles across PR, digital marketing, and social strategy at agencies including We Are Social, AKQA, Tongue and Weber Shandwick. Her client experience spans lifestyle categories and includes Samsung, Nespresso, The Walt Disney Company, G.H. Mumm, Alfa Romeo and Chobani.
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