fbpx

Movings/Shakings: 30 May

Human capital

Assignment Group has added a few heavy-hitters to its Wellington office, with Kathryn Robinson, JWT’s ex global head of planning joining as strategist/planning director, Aimee McCammon, who was most recently general manager of marketing and demand at TradeMe, joining as a business leader and Amanda Oliver joining as head designer.

Wellington general manager Livia Esterhazy says Robinson’s decision to come to Wellington and take up the role was a result of her husband getting a job at Weta, so when they found out she was heading this way, STW cohort and fellow JWTer Simon Lendrum put them in touch and Assignment “snapped her up”. 

McCammon, the partner of Clemenger BBDO’s executive creative director Philip Andrew, has worked at a range of agencies in her time, including Publicis Mojo, Saatchi & Saatchi and DDB. She also has plenty of client and board experience and was general manager of Park Road Post for three years.

Esterhazy says she’s “very smart lady with really strong commercial acumen” so she’s going to add a huge amount of nous and also share the load with her.  

She says Assignment operates a flexible model and works with a lot of freelancers, but there comes a time when you need full-timers and it’s important to make “sure we have the right people in the right roles”. 

She says the Wellington arm is growing sustainably and is currently sitting at around 15 staff. 

On the rise

Ben Rose has been appointed head of brand at Sovereign, joining from sister company ASB, where he was head of retail marketing.

“For me, this is a fantastic opportunity to lead the reinvigoration of a trusted New Zealand brand in a highly competitive category”, says Rose. “For 25 years, Sovereign has supported New Zealanders through difficult times. We want to build on that trust, by helping New Zealanders to insure what is most important to them: their families and lifestyles.”

Rose came to New Zealand from the UK just over ten years ago. He has both agency and corporate experience and has worked for Big Communications, TBWA and M&C Saatchi. He was also Rugby World Cup 2011 marketing manager for Auckland Council.

Sovereign’s chief officer marketing and innovation Chris Lamers says Rose’s combination of agency and corporate experience adds a fresh perspective at an exciting time for the company’s brand.

“We’re ready to change our thinking, change the way we talk to our customers and take our brand to a new position as we support New Zealanders at every stage of their lives … Our focus on healthy living is a common sense approach. If we are all healthier, less pressure will be placed on public and private health providers. For Sovereign, it’s a long-term view, making sure we are there when our customers need us the most. As we prepare to re-energise our brand to support New Zealanders towards a healthier, happier future, Ben is an outstanding addition to our team.”

All aboard

​Bauer’s chief executive Paul Dykzeul has moved up one spot on The Magazine Publishers Association’s executive committee, taking over as chair from Tangible Media’s John Baker. 

Dykzeul has been an active member of the MPA for a number of years, and represents the magazine industry on the ASA board. Baker, who was chair for two years, will continue to sit on the MPA executive and will be a part of the advertising committee. 

David Penny, the northern region manager at Fairfax Media, will take up the role of deputy chair. He joined the MPA executive last year.

New to the team is James Frankham, director at Kowhai Media, the publisher of NZ Geographic and Pro Photographer magazines.

And the other members are Cathy Parker, Adrenalin Publishing; Nicholas Burrowes, Pluto Group; Simon Little, Marketplace Media; and Karen Prendergast, APN Magazines. 

Horton’s next move

Speaking of the MPA, commercial director Katrina Horton is moving to Bauer to take up the role of commercial brand manager for Next

“It’s a good change for me. I really have enjoyed my time but it’s time for something different and it’s time to work with some people again. I was a one man band at the MPA.” 

She’s proud of the work that’s been collectively done to help raise the profile of magazines and says having someone representing the industry out in the field has been an important part of that. 

“There’s a recognition that there’s a need to champion the medium. Things are changing so much, so it’s really important to tell the story that magazines are more than just an old fashioned medium and that we’re progressive, future-proofing and looking ahead.” 

Outgoing MPA chair John Baker says she’s done a really great job helping to achieve the goals set by the board and he thinks it’s a testament to the health of the magazine industry that she joined the MPA from a media agency and is staying in the sector.

“It’s just sad that I’ve given away all my secrets and she’s moving to Bauer.”

She says the MPA is using her departure as an opportunity to weigh up whether to change the focus or keep someone in the same role, but she thinks there will be a need for someone with a commercial focus. 

  • Also, the call for entries for the 2014 Magazine Awards has recently gone out and this year and there are two advertising-related categories, the Most Effective Commercial Use of Magazines and the Most Creative Commercial Use of Magazines categories (enter here). In both instances, campaigns can encompass non-print channels, as long as activity is within magazines’ branded platforms.

To the Goog!

Mathew Tizard, Shine’s creative technologist, is set to join Google in Sydney in the same role, working as a part of the Google global creative team known as Zoo. 

At Shine he was responsible for The Beck’s Edison Bottle (which recently picked up a Silver Pencil at The One Show) and the follow-up, Beck’s Playable Posters, which utilised conductive ink.

Previously, at Colenso BBDO, he was instrumental in several award-winning projects, including Westpac’s Impulse Saver, Mountain Dew’s ‘Beyond The Wall’ and The V Motion Project. 

At Google, Tizard will be working under the team’s chief creative officer, former TBWA Asia-Pacific creative-at-large John Merrifield, and alongside fellow Kiwis Tara McKenty and Iain Nealie (the duo previously known as ‘Plankton’).

“This is a perfect fit for me, and feels like what I’ve been heading toward for some time,” says Tizard. “I’m looking forward to drawing on all my experience so far, both academic and professional, and to stretching myself in hitherto unexplored dimensions. We’ll be working with APAC’s most exciting clients, agencies, creatives and production houses on what will be really interesting and worthwhile projects. I can’t wait.”

Zoo is headquartered in Sydney, Tokyo and Singapore and works across the Asia Pacific region. The team also collaborates with Google’s Creative Lab. 

Orange Sky thinking 

Sky has created a new senior strategy role and appointed Matthew Orange to the position.

Orange, who has been with Sky since 2006, has joined the senior management team as director of strategy and products. As well as focusing on the company’s strategic direction, he will lead the development of new product offerings to meet the future needs of customers.

Orange, who has a PhD in engineering, previously spent eight years at Telstra Clear and Vodafone working on new technology initiatives. Deciding he was more interested in strategy and marketing, he joined Sky and did an MBA in his spare time.

“Matthew has an exceptional brain and a keen talent for identifying future trends,” says Sky chief executive John Fellet. “In his new role, he will be putting those skills to good use as Sky continues to advance and adapt to meet, and exceed, our customers’ expectations.”

Fyfe’s new fiefdom

Photo via New Zealand HeraldAfter nine months as executive chairman of the board for Icebreaker, ex Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe has been named as the clothing brand’s chief executive officer. 

In the new corporate structure, set to take effect June 2, company founder Jeremy Moon will take on the position of executive chairman and creative director. 

“It was a big decision for me to hand over our business to another chief executive, but I’ve seen Rob’s passion for what we are building at Icebreaker and I really admire his skills, especially with people,” says Moon. “In the end, it was easy for me to put my total trust in Rob.”

As the chief executive of Air New Zealand, he was credited with driving a turnaround in the airline’s strategy and culture and maintaining profitability during economic downturns.

“For the past 19 years, Icebreaker has truly excelled in establishing the merino wool category for outdoor apparel by leading exceptional product innovation while building the cleanest clothing company on the planet,” says Fyfe. “I am excited and honored for the opportunity to lead this incredible team towards the next stage in the company’s evolution.”

Over the past few years, Icebreaker has been evolving to become a multi-channel, integrated business with 19 company-branded retail stores, over 4,000 wholesale customers, direct e-commerce and over 400 employees worldwide. Sales have tripled in the last six years with sales projected to exceed $200m in 2014, with 80 percent of these sales now in Europe and North America. The company is committed to a business model that doesn’t put profits ahead of the environment and is seeking to double sales within the next five years through global expansion across all channels.

Gunn for hire

Jason Gunn is joining Lana Searle to co-host More FM’s Christchurch Drive show, with The Lana and Jase Drive Show starting on Tuesday 17 of June and running 4-6pm weekdays. 

“Lana’s Drive show is a Christchurch institution, and adding Jason into the mix will be a bonus for local listeners,” says MediaWorks radio group programme director, Andrew Szusterman. “Jason is a hugely talented broadcaster, and a passionate Cantabrian. This new line-up adds further strength to our presence in the Christchurch market.”

Gunn says he’s been listening to the show for a long time and he’s an “avid fan, long time listener and first time co-host”. 

“These are exciting and challenging times we’re all going through in Canterbury. I’m really looking forward to joining Lana and the listeners and having more than a few laughs, mainly at my own expense. What a great time to be back on air in my hometown with something so new and exciting.”

Searle will continue to host the 2pm-4pm slot.

Jolly good fellows

The Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) has recognised excellence in the fields of public relations and communications, with the induction of four new fellows, Diana Wolken (Wellington), Denise Mackay (Wellington), Simon Lambourne (Auckland) and Adrienne Schwartfeger (Christchurch).

Wolken is the communications change manager for the Community Pharmacy Services Programme at DHB Shared Services in Wellington and is rolling out the biggest national pharmacy change programme the sector has seen in more than 70 years. She has worked extensively in the both the UK and New Zealand. She immigrated with her family to New Zealand in 2005 and since that time has worked in both the public and not-for-profit sectors working for Parliamentary Service, Ministry of Health and Marram Community Trust. She was Wellington regional chair for PRINZ from 2007 to 2010 and sits on the PRINZ national council.

Mackay has spent more than 15 years working in the communications sector with experience in public, private and not-for-profit organisations both in New Zealand and internationally. She will soon take up the role of manager, communications and government services at the Tertiary Education Commission, moving from the role of strategic communications manager at Statistics NZ, where she led internal and external communications for a significant organisational change programmeShe has also spent time working with the United Nations in New York and as a New Zealand Army Officer, leading the Army’s public relations and communications function. She is an active member of the Wellington Central Division committee.

Lambourne is currently corporate affairs manager at Auckland Airport, focused on its strategic communications, media and issues management, as well as the airport’s local and central government engagement. He began his career working in the Prime Minister’s press office, after which he was appointed the New Zealand advisor to the European Commission. He has worked for Auckland City Council’s communications and marketing team and, prior to his current role, was the Automobile Association’s public affairs manager and Auckland Transport spokesperson. He recently completed a law degree at the University of Auckland and is currently studying for a Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne, specialising in communications law. He was the PRINZ Auckland regional chair and a member of its national executive from 2009 to 2011. 

Schwartfeger is lead advisor internal capability at Environment Canterbury, where she has worked since 2009. She began work at the Hutt City Council as recreation, events and promotions officer in 1996, moving to the Hillary Commission (now SPARC) in 1998. After a move to Auckland in 2001, she took the role of corporate communications advisor for TelstraClear, before moving to Environment Canterbury. She has supported PRINZ through involvement in the local committee, 2012 national conference organising committee, and development and execution of local events. 

About Author

Avatar photo

One of the talented StopPress Team of Content Producers made this post happen.

Comments are closed.