Media Movers: New entertainment agency: Bolster Group, News.com.au new editor-in-chief, TBWA promotions, Mindbox, Wunderman Thompson

Posted on 15 July 2023

Media Movers takes a look at the recent movements announced across the industry during the week of 10/07/23

Media Movers across the industry include:

• Culture marketing specialists Bolster and arts and entertainment PR agency Common State have merged to form a newly created agency group.

Bolster Group will provide a full-service offer incorporating communications; creative; media; PR; talent and influencer management; events; and digital and commercial rights services. Bolster Group will continue to work with clients from the music, entertainment, and arts industries, and with brands who seek deeper connections into these sectors, networks and sphere of influence.

• Soraiya Fuda has started as the head of content and programming at News Corp Australia.

• Clare-exana Colley has joined The Australian Financial Review as a newsletter editor.

• The Melbourne Press Club has appointed Tito Ambyo as its new vice president.

• Denise Cahill will be the deputy head of news at The Advertiser starting on 24 July 2023.

• Stephen Brook has been appointed the acting editor of The Sunday Age.

• Sophie Kuryl has been promoted to Tasmania state editor at WIN TV.

• TBWA/Melbourne has announced the promotion of Matt Stoddart to executive creative director and Pat Sofra to head of art & design. The promotions come as the agency looks to expand its core offerings across the total brand experience.

Paul Reardon, chief creative officer, TBWA/Melbourne & TBWA/Adelaide stated that both Stoddart and Sofra have been instrumental in delivering some of the agency’s best work.

“Any client or creative that works with Matt, soon sees their name in the spotlight. He has a way of producing great thinking on any pretty much any brand he touches. While Pat Sofra is one of the best designers I’ve ever met. He approaches design with a combination of philosophy and passion that’s really inspiring to be around,” he said.

• Tyson Whelan is now the emergency broadcast coordinator for Victoria and Tasmania at the ABC.

• The Western Plains App has welcomed Laura Williams as a reporter.

• Sarah Malik has finished as the executive producer and host of SBS Audio’s My Ramandan.

• Mindbox has bolstered its leadership team by appointing ex-IPG Mediabrands national director Ellen Rafferty.

As business manager, Rafferty will be tasked with expanding the independent marketing consultancy’s service offering to both existing and new clients, as well as assisting founder and CEO Nic Halley with the day-to-day running of the business.

• Melissa Field will step down as the editor of WHO Magazine after two years.

• Kotaku Australia says goodbye to Luke Plunkett as the senior editor after working at the site for 17 years.

• Freelance journalist Daniel Clarke has won Journalist of the Year at the 2023 SA Media Awards.

• News.com.au editor-in-chief Lisa Muxworthy has announced that Kerry Warren has been appointed editor of news.com.au.

Warren has held numerous senior leadership roles since joining news.com.au in 2019, including commissioning editor, news editor and most recently has been sections editor for the past two years. She starts as editor in August.

• Keira Wright has started as an agriculture reporter at Bloomberg’s Sydney bureau. She was previously a journalist at the Cointelegraph.

• 6PR in Perth has welcomed Yvonne Ardley as a journalist, working as a field reporter and newsreader.

• Jonathon Davidson has joined The Market Herald as a senior markets reporter.

• Wunderman Thompson Australia has announced the promotion of Tammy Cooksey from experience director, Perth to national head of experience in recognition of the growth in the Experience Design portfolio and with a remit to expand the team.

Mel Wiese, chief strategy officer at Wunderman Thompson Australia, said: “Tammy has built an outstanding team of experience strategists, designers and innovators to deliver growth for our clients nationally. She is an outstanding leader in our business, accelerating our methodology, talent and experience output.”

• Argus Media has welcomed Tom Major as a news reporter.

• Parker McKenzie has joined The New Daily as a reporter.

• Edge has announced the promotion of general manager Nicole Gardner to managing director.

This comes as David Stretch steps down as managing director of the independent creative agency after more than 14 years.

Gardner’s promotion into the role is effective immediately.

Stretch welcomed Gardner’s appointment and said: “Nicole is hugely talented and the perfect person to lead the agency.

“As GM, Nic has been instrumental in building strong relationships with our clients and is highly regarded by them and everyone at Edge and the wider industry.”