It's hard to keep up with all the latest moves across media, marketing and advertising, so we've made a list. Check out some of the biggest moves this week.
VML’s Jake Barrow moves to Prague
Jake Barrow, the group executive creative director of VML Sydney and Melbourne, has been appointed chief creative officer at VML in the Czech Republic. He will move later this year. A replacement will be announced soon. Having started as an art director at what was then George Patterson Y&R, Barrow went on to become creative director in 2015, ECD in 2017 and eventually group ECD of both Sydney and Melbourne offices in 2021.
Innocean appoints Giorgia Butler chief strategy officer
Innocean Australia has appointed Giorgia Butler chief strategy officer. Butler will be responsible for leading strategy across all clients and will report to Innocean Australia CEO, Jasmin Bedir. She brings more than 25 years’ experience in strategy in both Australia and the US, along with strategic activations for Translation Brand Imaging, a marketing agency owned by performer Jay Z and Steve Stoute, that pairs celebrities with brand activations.
UM appoints Carat's Matt Evans managing partner
Media agency UM has appointed Matt Evans managing partner leading the Optus account. Based in Sydney, Evans will report to UM managing director, Sydney, Ben McCallum. Evans was most recently head of client partnerships at Carat Australia where he worked on brands such as George Weston Foods, NOVA Entertainment, Mastercard and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.
DDB Melbourne promotes Giles Watson and James Cowie
DDB's Giles Watson and James Cowie have both been promoted. Watson, after two years with DDB Melbourne, is now deputy executive creative director and Cowie creative partner – head of copy. The DDB Group Melbourne creative leadership team includes Watson, Cowie, creative director Cam Trollope, creative director Becky Morriss, and creative services manager Sarah Tonner. Both appointments are effective immediately.
Mat Baxter has invested in predictive marketing analytics platform Mutinex and been appointed its Asia-Pacific CEO. He recently returned to Sydney after eight years in New York, most recently global CEO of IPG’s technology and design agency Huge. He is a former global CEO of media agency Initiative. The level of Baxter's investment isn't known. The company’s current valuation is more than $125 million.
Today the Brave appoints Alyce Gillis head of strategy
Alyce Gillis has joined Today the Brave as head of strategy. Joining from Havas Host, Gillis’ has a wealth of experience from integrated agencies, with success in spearheading a number of brand, creative, PR, social and influencer campaigns. She will be working alongside Today the Brave’s existing leadership team including managing partner Jaimes Leggett, Celia Wallace, and creative partners Jade Manning and Vince Osmond.
Connecting Plots' Tim Collier jumps to cummins&partners
cummins&partners has appointed Tim Collier as head of strategy, AdNews can reveal. Collier joins from Connecting Plots, where he was strategy partner. He'd been with the agency since 2018. He will lead strategic thinking across the portfolio of clients at cummins&partners, with creative:media at the core.
Nikki Rooke is Nine's new director of sales for Total TV
Nine's Nikki Rooke has been promoted to director of sales - total television, reporting to chief sales officer Michael Stephenson. She replaces Richard Hunwick, who announced his resignation last week. Rooke, currently director of sales - Sydney, with commercial responsibility for Nine’s TV, streaming, audio and publishing assets, will lead national total television sales team overseeing Metro TV, Regional TV and BVOD.
Connecting Plots appoints Craig Page strategy partner
The Hallway’s Chris Murphy to lead G Squared's new creative division
Digital consultancy G Squared has launched a performance media creative division, led by Chris Murphy, former general manager at The Hallway. As head of creative, Murphy will be working alongside G Squared’s consultants and clients to deliver impactful creative campaigns across digital channels. Murphy has more than a decade at creative agencies in the UK and Australia including, Wunderman Thompson, BWM Dentsu, Saatchi and Saatchi London and Grey London.
Josh Forsyth becomes Zitcha's APAC sales lead
Unified retail media platform Zitcha has appointed Josh Forsyth as APAC sales lead. As well as growing Zitcha’s Australian and New Zealand business, Forsyth will help lead its push across Asia. Forsyth joins Zitcha after more than eight years working in senior sales, partnerships and operations roles for adtech businesses including Yahoo, The Trade Desk and Vistar Media.
Angela Malkin new head of Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick Australia has appointed Angela Malkin its new head. Malkin joins with nearly two decades of experience delivering high profile integrated communications strategies in Australia and the UK. She spent eight years in global PR agencies before transitioning to senior communications roles in the finance and government sectors.
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