Mediaweek’s Media Movers is back, charting the biggest people moves in the industry each week.
For this first, relaunched edition, Mediaweek looks back on May’s big moves – and there’s plenty of them.
Initiative’s three senior leaders—CEO Melissa Fein, MD Sam Geer, and chief strategy and product officer Chris Colter—defected to Accenture Song to set up a full service media unit.
Mat Baxter joined the marketing investment analytics company Mutinex as its APAC CEO, following the former Initiative and Huge boss’ return to Australia earlier this year.
Mamamia appointed Natalie Harvey as chief executive officer, four months after she joined the independent women’s media group.
Jacqui Abbott joined Qantas Group in a new senior communications role, Mediaweek revealed. The former Foxtel exec will take on the title of executive manager, corporate affairs and internal communications.
Lisa Muxworthy, editor-in-chief at news.com.au, is leaving the business as part of News Corp’s restructure.
Nine appointed Jo Barton as director of sales – Sydney, replacing Nikki Rooke who was promoted to director of sales – total television as Richard Hunwick‘s successor.
Mediaweek broke the news of Nick Zonnios joining Icon Agency as director of consumer to lead the agency‘s newly launched consumer practise, after departing from his previous position as head of PR at CHEP Network.
Nick Jacobs was promoted to chief strategy officer of M&C Saatchi Australia and New Zealand three months after Emily Taylor left the post.
Clemenger BBDO nabbed Adrián Flores as chief creative officer. Flores will return to Australia for the role after over a decade in international creative leadership roles. He replaces Jim Curtis, who left in September to become EVP, global executive CD at McCann New York.
PHD appointed Brendan Hewitt as its new Sydney head of strategy, replacing the outgoing Remi Baker.
Ogilvy Network appointed BMF’s Lisa Down and Leila Cranswick as joint creative directors for its Sydney office.
Social Soup promoted Cara Norris to the newly-created role of head of growth and partnerships and recruited Carolyne Gowen as client partnerships director.
Scroll Media hired Costa Panagos as digital sales manager to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability.
Enigma added Chris Stobbs as head of performance across Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane.
Nine appointed Fiona Dear, the current EP of A Current Affair, as the network’s director of news and current affairs.
CHEP Network promoted Tash Johnson to national head of integrated production.
Integrated marketing and communications agency, Bastion, hired Samantha Hansen as partnerships marketing director.
G Squared nabbed The Hallway’s former general manager Chris Murphy to lead its dedicated performance media creative division.
Angela Malkin joined Weber Shandwick as head of agency. The business also made key senior appointments to its leadership team across the consumer, technology, corporate, and healthcare practices, including Addie Freyne, Akina Taniguchi and Rachel Vidaic.
DDB Melbourne promoted creative partner Giles Watson to deputy executive creative director, and group creative director James Cowie to creative partner – head of copy.
Seven West Media promoted Adelaide news director Chris Salter to fill the gap created by Shaun Menegola‘s exit, and hired Gemma Williams as EP of Spotlight.
Connecting Plots added Craig Page as strategy partner, as Tim Collier exited the independent creative agency after six years for a role at cummins&partners.
Independent creative communications agency, Cassette, appointed Sam Enshaw as head of strategy.
Zitcha appointed Josh Forsyth as APAC sales lead amidst the business’ global expansion.
UM hired Matt Evans as managing partner to lead the strategic media approach for the Optus account.
Jaywing added Fran Martin as senior brand strategist, a newly-created role to plan solutions for Jaywing’s performance and creative clients.
Priya Addams Williams joined the Dylan Alcott Foundation as Shift 20 Initiative lead. Previously, she was business director at Special Group, which worked with the Dylan Alcott Foundation (DAF) to launch the Shift 20 Initiative last year.
Creative innovation studio R/GA Australia appointed Marie Conley to the role of executive strategy director.
Penny Shell joined Zenith Australia in the newly-created role of chief strategy and product officer after a stint consulting with the Publicis Group agency.
DoubleVerify promoted Imran Masood to vice president, country manager AUNZ after four years as country manager of the region.
Enigma appointed Ren Frise as executive director of digital, data, and technology at the independent agency.
After 20 years with the agency, Rob Swinton departed as managing director of OMD Brisbane, succeeded by Alison Costello.
DEPT appointed Brad Stevens to the newly-created role of executive creative director for APAC.
Nova Entertainment has expanded its commercial leadership team, with Rebecca Jeffrey appointed to the role of group business director – digital.
Andrew Murray, UM’s former national head of trading, joined GroupM’s Openmind in the role of transition lead – investment, after Mediaweek revealed earlier this year that the UM veteran had exited amidst redundancies.
GroupM appointed Marc Lomas as managing director to lead and expand its commerce and retail media capability across Australia and New Zealand, supporting essenceMediacom, Mindshare, and Wavemaker’s teams.
Love Media hired Alana Dowling as client director, strengthening the independent agency’s client services team.
PrettyGood, the new agency launched last month to service Australian small and medium businesses, nabbed Jonathan Lyon as co-founder and chief product officer.
JCDecaux promoted Ben White to general manager, transit. He has been working across a portfolio of projects within his role as national director – customer growth and head of nurture.
Houston appointed Alex Creamer as creative director and Michelle Teh as design director, strengthening the brand strategy and design consultancy’s creative offering.
Imagination promoted Alistair Wilson to managing director of Australia, overseeing the Sydney and Melbourne studios. He replaces Antony Gowthorp, who has left the experience design agency after almost 12 years.
QMS appointed Sean Rigby as national trading and partnerships director. He will commence the role in Q4, based in Sydney.
The ABC appointed Emily Copeland head of music in the ABC Audio team. This is a new role at the broadcaster after an executive search that started late in 2023.
TRA made six hires in Sydney and Melbourne to support growth and new business across both markets.
Account lead Nana Kawaura, consultant Sam Stalley, and senior consultant Charlotte Saunders join the Sydney team. Melbourne’s new hires include account lead Alexandra Fulton, qualitative lead Jemimah Gray, and senior qualitative consultant Claire Timmons.
Kim Verbrugghe joined CX Lavender as chief strategy officer. In the role, she will oversee all research, brand, comms, and experience planning across the customer experience agency and join CXL’s leadership team.
Warner Bros Discovery changed its leadership in Australia and New Zealand. Glen Kyne who had a wide regional remit as senior vice president and head of networks, Warner Bros Discovery Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, exited.
Taking over at least some of those roles is Juliet Peterson. The region leadership will continue to be based in Auckland.
Mamamia appointed Danni Wright, Carat’s former chief strategy officer, to lead strategy across the media brand and its content marketing agency, Squad.
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