Leading integrated communications and marketing agency Anthem is expanding, hiring two communications professionals and establishing a dedicated People and Culture team.
Jay Louisson and Calum Lewis join Anthem as Executive Director and Senior Account Manager respectively, and Kirsten Beggs becomes Anthem’s first Head of People working with Anna Timu, who has been promoted to People and Culture Manager.
Anthem Co-Founder and Managing Director Carolyn Kerr says the agency is excited to welcome some of the best in their field to its whanau.
“Anthem’s focus is on investing in its team and cultivating an environment and culture that is diverse, inclusive, equitable, high performing and rewarding,” she says
“Our top priority is to invest in our industry leading team so that we provide our people a place that allows them to thrive personally and professionally. We’re looking for people who are at the top of their game and can shape and fast track change inside and outside of our business.
“As an independent New Zealand communications agency, we are excited to continue to attract outstanding professionals, in Jay Louisson and Calum Lewis, to our talented team, and that they have chosen to share their specialist skills and experience in corporate communications with us, our team and clients,” says Kerr.
Jay Louisson is an experienced strategic communications leaders, bringing decades of public and corporate affairs, issues management, and investor relations expertise to Anthem. Louisson has held senior communications roles in the government sector, and advised boards and senior management in the tertiary, education, finance, primary, infrastructure and economic development sectors.
She has been a team leader in various organisations including as Managing Partner at a corporate public relations consultancy in New Zealand, with Bangkok Bank in Southeast Asia and as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s North American Communications and Marketing Manager in New York for more than three years.
Calum Lewis has worked in several roles for government organisations, having worked as a Parliamentary Select Committee Advisor and as a Research, Communications, and Policy Advisor, and in roles with Inland Revenue. Most recently Lewis was Stakeholder Communications Advisor at Crown Infrastructure Partners.
Kirsten Beggs brings to Anthem more than 20 years’ experience across the Learning and Development, Human Resources, and Diversity and Inclusion arenas. She is a proven people and culture leader, with a knack for influencing great outcomes and a passion for people. Skilled at strategic employee and people development, Kirsten has assisted directors and management across various organisations, large and small, to successfully develop their team’s engagement and growth.
Anna Timu joins Kirsten in the People and Culture team, moving from Office Manager to People and Culture Manager, which sees her further support staff wellbeing. Together, Beggs and Time have already launched wellness and cultural initiatives that have been welcomed by new and existing agency staff alike, as part of an ambitious people and culture strategy.
“As Anthem looks to fast track its growth to keep pace with client demand and our growing service offering, it was the perfect time to establish a dynamic people and culture team to foster our unique Anthem culture and help take the business forward,” says Kerr.
