Media Movers: Liam Bartlett joins Seven, dentsu, Warner Music Australasia, Connecting Plots

Posted on 23 April 2023

Media Movers takes a look at the recent moves announced across the industry during the week of 17/04/23

Media Movers across the industry include:

• The Seven Network has announced that acclaimed journalist and broadcaster Liam Bartlett has joined its flagship current affairs program 7NEWS Spotlight, as it returns for its fifth season.

The award-winning investigative reporter radio personality will make his 7NEWS Spotlight debut at 8.30 pm this Sunday, April 23 on Seven and 7plus.

• Scott McDonald has started as media producer for ABC News Online. He was previously a social and video producer at 10 News First Queensland.

• 2DayFM’s welcomes Emma Georgiadis as the new workday announcer in the afternoon slot. She has moved to Sydney from Adelaide, where she hosted Triple M afternoons.

• Channel 10 Perth welcomes Sasha Haanappe as a news reporter. She was the marketing and enrolments officer at Penrhos College.

• The Geraldton Guardian, The Midwest Times and Northern Guardian welcomes Fraser Williams as a reporter.

• Christopher Bartlett begins duties as deputy editor of 360info

• Connecting Plots has announced the appointment of Matt Geersen and John Gault as creative partners following the acquisition of their independent creative agency, Two G’s.

Two G’s became part of Connecting Plots on Tuesday, 11 April, with their current clients, including Amazon Prime Video, Mad Mex and Penguin Books Australia.

Gault and Geersen are both highly awarded integrated creative directors with more than 15 years of experience who both live and breathe brand, digital and social worlds to create culture-shaping, made-for-channel creative.

• Executive producer of Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield, Max Corstorphan, has wrapped up duties on the nightly Hit Network radio show.

• The Morning Show welcomes Nick Everared as their new talent booker. He was previously a chase producer for the programme.

• Amber Griffin has started at 9 News Sydney as a associate producer.

• Warner Music Australasia (WMA) has announced a number of new hires and internal promotions.

The team has announced the appointment of Adrian Wauchope as the new SVP Commercial Australasia heading up the commercial team for the region.

WMA is strengthening its data and insights capabilities with the appointment of Chris Mills as the head of data & insights, reporting into Wauchope in the Commercial team.

• Stock & Land welcomes agricultural Holly McGuinness journalist. She was a Cadet Journalist at the Brimbank & North West Star Weekly.

• A Current Affair has welcomed Brigitte O’Brien as a journalist, based in Brisbane. She was previously a reporter for 9 News Brisbane.

• Gemma Ferguson has been named as a digital news producer for ABC Brisbane. She was formerly a journalist at the Gold Coast Bulletin.

• Val Morgan Cinema has announced three internal promotions across their NSW sales team, with the appointment of Jemima Withinshaw to group sales manager, Dominik Politano to group sales manager – direct and independent agencies and Julia Bonato to account manager.

With tenure spanning over six years, Withinshaw has cemented herself as a leader within the Val Morgan Cinema business.

• Satria Dyer-Darmawan has started a new role at the Geelong Advertiser as a Journalist. He was a Journalist at The Examiner previously.

• After working at Seven Network for more than two years, Lizzy Aboud has joined the Queensland Government as senior media advisor to the minister for regional development, manufacturing and water.

• 360info has appointed Ilaria Walker as Asia Pacific editor

• Seven West Media has announced the promotion of Brent Stewart to the role of chief sales officer in Western Australia, effective immediately.

Maryna Fewster, SWM WA CEO, expressed her confidence in the appointment and the direction of the advertising team. She said: “Brent has been an integral part of our business for over 13 years and has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership and a proven track record of success.

• Elizabeth O’Neill is joining UGL as senior communications advisor leaving the journalism industry. She was previously chief of staff and a reporter at ausbiz.

• Emily Tresidder has started as an announcer for the Workdays programme on hit 91.9 Bendigo. She was previously co-host of the Drive programme on JOY 94.9.

• Holly Berckelman was promoted to online content producer at Body+Soul. She worked as a social media and online producer at Body+Soul before being promoted.

• whiteGREY has welcomed the appointment of Reeshma Bhanji to the role of executive creative director, in Sydney.

Her appointment, effective immediately, significantly boosts the creative technology agency’s design and creative offering.

• In May, James Jiang will take over as Editor of Sydney Review. He was assistant editor at Griffith Review beforehand.

• The Geraldton Guardian and Midwest Times have welcomed Fraser Williams as a reporter. He is a former recipient of the Walkley WIN News Scholarship.

• Rakuten Advertising has announced the appointment of Angus Sladden as vice president of client services.

In his new role, Sladden will lead the client services team, ensuring the company’s clients receive top-tier support and best-in-class affiliate strategies.

• The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show on Mix 102.3 FM welcomes Andrew Costello as a host.

• Jano Gibson joins ABC News Hobart. He was previously a reporter at ABC News Darwin.

• Outbrain Inc. has announced the promotions of Yonatan Maman as chief technology officer and Andraz Tori to the newly created executive role as chief product officer.

Co-founder, chief technology officer and general manager, Israel, Ori Lahav, will transition his responsibilities and focus on cross-company strategic initiatives while continuing his role as general manager, Israel.

• ABC Audio Studios have welcomed Johnny Lieu as an audio producer. He was formerly a fact checking journalist at Agence France-Presse.

• Deb Eccleston has started a role as manager communications at Cancer Council Queensland. She was previously managing editor at RACQ for more than 12 years.

• DoubleVerify has announced the appointment of Daniel Slotwiner to senior vice president of Attention.

In this role, Slotwiner will oversee all attention initiatives at DV, including product innovation, go-to-market strategy and commercialisation activities, as well as the development of attention-based industry research and campaign performance insights and recommendations.

• 360info promotes Reece Hooker to commissioning editor

• WhistleOut appoints Dylan Crismale as digital content editor. He was previously the utilities writer at finder.com.au.

• Initiative has announced Danielle (Elle) Galipienzo has taken on the additional role of head of impact, leading the media agency’s purpose-led consulting division.

The announcement comes as the agency enters its next evolutionary stage for the department, expanding from pro-bono partners only to include paid services and impact consulting open to all clients. Galipienzo will also retain her current role of client director.

• Georgia Bakalich has started at 7NEWS in Mackay as a reporter. She was previously an assistant producer for 7NEWS on the Gold Coast.

• Aleks Vickovich will become editor-in-chief at Conexus Fiancial, starting on the 1st July. He was previously the wealth editor at The Australian Financial Review.

• InMobi has announced the appointment of Susannah Llewellyn as VP of agency partnerships for Asia Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand.

Based in Singapore, she will be responsible for driving the company’s strategic growth with key media agency partners and holding companies in the region.

• Sherine Youssef has been appointed contributing beauty editor at Stellar. Her role will see her overview beauty news, product launches, interview pitches and commercial opportunities.

• Sky News Australia welcomes Lauren Forbes as a reporter based on the Gold Coast in Queensland. She was previously the supervising producer at Channel 10.

• The Brag Media has announced two key hires and a promotion within its growing editorial team, with Vivienne Kelly moving into a new full-time role after working on the rollout of Variety Australia, and Alex Michael joining the business.

• Joining Channel 9 on the Gold Coast is Bailey Kenzie. His most recent role was as a journalist at WIN TV Hobart.

• Hannah Palmer has joined as a producer on Hack at triple j. The role will see her in the live studio producing and lining up stories and talent for the programme.

• WSFM 101.7 welcomes Natasha Lee back from leave to resume her role as the breakfast newsreader for Jonesy and Amanda’s morning show. She has also been appointed digital news editor.

• M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ has appointed Najla Haddad to the newly created role of chief product officer.

Haddad will be leading the CBA client relationship team across the Group as part of her appointment while also leading the Group’s CX product suite to provide an even more connected agency experience for clients.

• Luxury Escape has welcomed Paul Chai as managing editor, joining just before the relaunch of the magazine. Most recently he was a freelance food and travel writer at Traveller, Time Out and Escape.

• Channel 10 welcomes Daniel Pizarro as a television news presenter. He was previously a video journalist at Channel 7’s Spencer Gulf News in Port Augusta.

• Audrey Payne has taken the role as food and drink editor at Broadsheet in Melbourne. She was previously located in the United States at Cherry Bombe.

• National Indigenous Television (NITV) has announced the appointment of Mudburra and Wagadagam woman, Natalie Ahmat, as it’s head of Indigenous news and current affairs.

In the role, the award-winning journalist, producer and presenter leads the editorial direction and oversees the output of NITV’s distinctive daily news, its current affairs line-up including weekly show The Point and the long-running Living Black, and news coverage of special events.

• ABC Far North has announced Bridget Herrmann as a rural reporter. She relocated to Cairns from Geraldton, where she was a reporter for ABC Mid West & Wheatbelt.

• Suzannah Lyons has started as senior commissioning editor for 360info

• Cummins&Partners announced the appointment of Luke Maher as its new head of media.

Maher returns to Australia after four years in the UK. He will work across the independent agency’s media only and integrated accounts, and will be working out of Cummins&Partners’ Melbourne office.

• Optus Sport welcomes Josh Thomas as a deputy editor. He was a digital content producer for The Sporting News.

• Eve Anderson joins the 360info team as general manager

• Kiel Egging has left Leader Community News after six and a half years as a reporter. He is joining Whitehorse City Council as a content and publications officer, starting later this month.

• dentsu has announced the appointment of David Gallo-Martinez as senior client director at dentsu Western Australia following significant revenue growth in the first quarter of 2023 for the business.

Gallo-Martinez joins dentsu from Bonfire, where he has been a client director for the last five years, working across key clients such as Cedar Woods, RAC, Synergy, St John WA, and Water Corporation. He has also previously worked for Seven West Media, Reach Local & Sensis.

• Traveller has been fully inregrated into The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and WAtoday websites.

• The ABC have announced a new podcast, Saving the Franklin releasing on 1st May. Hosted by Jo Lauder, the series will look back at the fight 40 years ago to save Tasmania’s last wild river.