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Movings/Shakings: 28 November

A moment of Insight 

Mike Tisdall, who founded Insight in 1976, has decided to step down as managing director.

Steven Giannoulis, the current strategic development director, will assume the role of chief executive officer from 1 December 2014. Tisdall will continue as both a member of the board and also as part of the senior leadership team, where he will manage the company’s financial, reporting and operational functions while also working across a number of key new business, marketing and client strategy initiatives.

Tisdall has helped turn Insight from a one-man band into one of the country’s best design agencies. It has 24 staff in its Auckland and Wellington offices and another office in Sydney and it works with many of Australasia’s largest corporates, government departments, SMEs and charitable trusts.

Giannoulis has been with Insight since 2011 but his association with the company as a client goes back over 12 years. He has over 25 years’ experience leading numerous brand, marketing, product, communications and client service teams for organisations such as Tower, NZ Lotteries, and ING. He has an MBA as well as a business degree majoring in both marketing and management.

Giannoulis will work closely with the other members of Insight’s senior leadership team, Brian Slade (creative diector), Paul Saris (group account director), Rainer Leisky (production director) and Jeremy Sweetman (head of digital). And on a day-to-day basis, he will also continue to lead the company’s new business, marketing and client strategy efforts.

Stocking stuffer 

Patrick Crewdson has been promoted to editor of Stuff.co.nz from his previous role as news editor. 

Mark Stevens, Fairfax Media group digital editor, says Crewdson brings extensive news management and leadership skills to the role.

“Patrick is first and foremost a top-notch journalist,” he says. “But he also has a proven track record as a newsroom leader and I’m thrilled to have him in the top job at Stuff.”

Crewdson has previously held reporting positions at both The Dominion Post and the Herald on Sunday before moving into leadership roles at Fairfax Media, including head of news in Wellington. 

Stuff recently overtook Yahoo in terms of visitor numbers. And now it’s gunning for Trade Me. 

As group executive editor Sinead Boucher said: “Stuff overtaking Yahoo has been a combination of our strong growth and their softening. However, our growth has been led by excellence in content, whether that’s across news or lifestyle or business. Yahoo doesn’t have the advantage of our newsroom reach – we have more than 650 journalists across the country. Ultimately, our journalism and stories are our biggest advantage.”

Quirk of fate

Seasoned advertising sales professional Frances Quirk has joined BrandWorld as business manager.

“We’ve known her for a long time as have many others in the industry,” say Richard Stevens, BrandWorld’s managing director. “She’s a consummate professional with an enviable list of contacts and clients who trust her to offer them the best opportunities for their marketing dollar.” 

She has worked across all media platforms, most recently as sales manager at C4 and account director at the Radio Network. At BrandWorld, she will be looking after all its titles and bespoke opportunities, but will particularly focus on BrandWorld’s Discover platform. 

“I love the idea that I can now be part of it all,” says Quirk. “Even though lots of organisations say they do content marketing, in my opinion nobody does it as well as BrandWorld. They really understand clients and know how to produce material that resonates with their target consumers … If there’s one piece of advice I could give clients or anyone in marketing, it’s whatever you do, make it count. Make sure the client’s till rings at the end of the campaign. That’s what’s always driven me in this world of marketing. Tell the town and make the till ring. I will only ever represent a brand I respect and I know will work for the client.”

The platform crosser

MediaWorks has announced the appointment of Sarah Bristow as executive producer of its new cross-platform breakfast show.

Bristow will start work in 2015 on the new show, which will be hosted by Paul Henry and broadcast simultaneously across TV3, RadioLIVE and online.

The new show will integrate MediaWorks’ capabilities in radio, TV and digital, creating a unique product and a major shift in the delivery of news and entertainment in the New Zealand market.

“As a producer, you dream of being involved in the creation of such a unique programme,” said Bristow in a release. “It’s a bold and exciting move by MediaWorks and I relish the challenge of devising a show that will be truly multi-platform. I can’t wait to get started.”

Bristow has 13 years’ experience in radio and television. Her most recent role was as supervising producer of Late News at Network Ten, Australia. She was also executive producer of Ten’s Breakfast Show, hosted by Paul Henry, and was the line up producer for both Close Up and Breakfast at TVNZ. Before moving into television, Bristow was a senior reporter for Radio NZ News and a reporter for Newstalk ZB.

Commenting on the appointment of Bristow, MediaWorks Radio chief executive Wendy Palmer said: “To secure someone of Sarah’s calibre, who has such an in-depth understanding of our vision for this unique show is fantastic. This is a truly ground-breaking project for New Zealand radio and we’re delighted to have her on board.”

More or less

More FM has announced a two-fold strategy that pairs increased investment in regional markets with the launch of the station’s first nationwide Drive show, hosted by Jason Gunn and Lana Searle. 

As of next year, MediaWorks claims More FM listeners will have the best of both worlds, with a focus on local hosts and local content from the early morning through until 3pm, and nationwide content between 3pm-midnight. 

The most recent radio survey saw More FM become the number one radio station in New Zealand for women aged 25-54 and the radio station with the largest breakfast music audience.

“More FM has unmatched strength in local radio, and there’s no question that’s a huge part of our success,” says More FM Network content director, Christian Boston. “That’s why next year we’ll broadcast even more local hours – up to ten hours per day in some markets—and invest further in our regional strategy. What has been missing is a way for More FM’s family of listeners from around New Zealand to connect on a national level.  Our new Drive and Night Shows will address that by bringing a national flavour to our schedule, and with it new opportunities for listeners and advertisers. Lana Searle, Jason Gunn, Simon Barnett, Gary McCormick, Joe Cotton and Shawn Cleaver are national talents, and I’m looking forward to sharing them with our audiences all across New Zealand.”

From January 2015, The More FM Drive Show with Lana & Jase will broadcast nationwide at 3-7pm, followed by 60 Minutes, an hour of highlights from Si & Gary’s Auckland/Waikato/Wellington/Christchurch/Nelson Breakfast show. A new nationwide Night Show with Joe Cotton and Shawn Cleaver will follow between 8pm-midnight.

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