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Movings / Shakings: 12 July

Moving up

PwC New Zealand partner Mark Averill has been elected as the new senior partner and chief executive of the firm, effective from 1 October. He has been a partner for 14 years, a member of the executive team for three years and has spent a total of almost 26 years at the firm.

He will serve as territory senior partner and CEO for the next four years.

Averill says he is proud to be endorsed as the next CEO by partners at the firm and will continue to remain active in the market and available to clients.

Averill has been PwC’s National Deals Leader for the past five years and has enjoyed a successful track record in the market. He has a thorough understanding of the firm and is well-placed to ensure that PwC is positioned for continued success.

A new recruit

Kate Snushall has joined TRA as the head of design. Snushall will be leading the design team at TRA, creating solutions to effectively communicate research stories to New Zealand’s leading companies. 

Snushall has joined TRA from a background in advertising and design. Starting out as a graphic designer, Snushall moved into advertising as a senior art director working in direct advertising. Snushall has worked with some of New Zealand’s most well known brands, including BNZ, Air New Zealand and Fonterra. On the side, Snushall enjoys illustrating and has just had her first book published. 

A new beginning

Simon Kozak has decided to retire from his position as general manager and Head of Planning at Energi Advertising New Zealand after a long career in advertising. 

He posted the announcement on his LinkedIn page:

“After 25 years in advertising, with one small break, and after witnessing my two wonderful children Lucy Kozak and Henry Kozak most ably take up the baton I have finally decided to retire. It is, the finest industry in the world, I wouldn’t change a thing and I’ve loved every minute thick and thin and thin and thinner. My focus now lies in the non-for-profit or as we prefer to be known profit-for-purpose sector, perfecting my fishing skills and running a marathon or two. Adieu.”

Sitting on the chair

One Plus One Group has announced the appointment of Mike Hutcheson to the newly created role of non-executive chairman.

Kelly Bennett, One Plus One Founder and managing director, said the introduction of Mike Hutcheson’s involvement was a real coup for the company.

“Mike is widely acknowledged as one of the smartest and most strategic thinkers in New Zealand business. His wisdom and experience, honed over many decades building hugely successful companies and brands, will be a real asset for us. He’s gregarious, imminently likeable and we get along well, so it was a natural fit.”

Mike co-founded advertising agencies Colenso BBDO and Hutcheson Knowles Marinkovich (HKM), and was also managing director of Saatchi & Saatchi. In 2003, he set up an innovation and start-up incubator called the Lighthouse Ideas Company, and in 2008 was involved in a management buyout of Image Centre Group, where he is currently a director.

Of his appointment, Mike Hutcheson commented: “I’m delighted to be able to work with Kelly and the One Plus One team, who have carved out a special position in the corporate communications space, and are operating at the top of their game”.

“They’re professional, focused and responsive. They listen more than talk, and they’re well networked. Plus they’re smart, pragmatic, down-to-earth and efficient. You can’t get a better formula for success,” he added.

New talent

Following on from Uno Loco’s acquisition of Soiree at the beginning of 2016, its now brought in some fresh faces.

Joel Crook, Kirsty Macdonald, Rachel Mercer, Sam McLaren and Stacey Pretorius

Joel Crook has joined as technical director, bringing 14 years’ experience across some of New Zealand’s big events including Rhythm and Vines, Laneway Festival, The Voafone Music Awards, TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards and the World Rowing Championships. 

Kirsty MacDonald has taken up a position on the media team as production manager from Whitebait TV in Christchurch, where she was post-production manager for What Now. 

Other new recruits include Rachel Mercer, Sam McLaren and Stacey Pretorius. Mercer joins as production assistant directly off the back of a successful internship at Uno Loco.

With a Bachelor’s degree in business, McLaren progressed from management roles at Concentrix to come on board in a production support position.

Pretorius had a Bachelor’s in event management and joins Uno Loco in a front-of-house and event support capacity.

Stepping up

Business telecommunications provider Kordia has appointed seasoned executive Craig Williams to the position of director of sales and marketing. As the company continues to grow under the leadership of CEO Scott Bartlett, Williams is tasked with continuing to build Kordia’s reach through a sharp focus on its target markets.

Williams’ experience includes two and half years leading the business division at Canon NZ Limited, seven years as general manager at Vodafone subsidiary DigitalMobile and a director for several New Zealand businesses. He has over twenty years of leadership expertise across retail, telco and the technology industries.

Comings and goings

Spark PR & Activate has recently welcomed back Katie Walton in a new role as creative services director for the 25-plus strong team of PR and activation practitioners. Also joining the crew is Shea O’Neill as the new head of content – replacing Mike Harland who is heading off on his second OE.

Shea O’Neill & Katie Walton

“I am delighted to have Katie re-join the agency with her creative expertise,” says PHD Group managing director Nikki Grafton. “A great idea which engages with our clients’ audience is always at the heart of what we do, however with an explosion of media platforms, channels and messaging it’s critical that we find creative ways to cut through and ensure we meet our clients’ objectives.”

“Shea O’Neill is a Kiwi who has headed home after a three-year role heading up a creative digital agency in Vietnam having worked previously in New Zealand. He brings a wealth of digital and social expertise from working with clients such as Red Bull, Nokia, Samsung and Chevrolet.”

Strategic thinker

Ian Howard has moved over to Interbrand where he has taken up the position of head of strategy. He has been there for one month.

Before the shift he was head of marketing and brand at Maori Television for eight months, a position he took up after just over two years at Young & Shand as strategy director. 

Dream gig

RNZ’s music show Music 101 has a new presenter in radio head Alex Behan. 

Music 101 gives voice to the best musical happenings in Aotearoa, as well as music events and issues taking place around the world. For Behan, it’ll put a new spin on a familiar world of music interviews, live performances, undiscovered acts, greatest hits and tall tales.

Alex Behan has a strong background in radio that began at high school in Christchurch when he built a low power station in his friend’s garage.

Graduating from the New Zealand Broadcasting School in 1998 he interned at KCC FM in Whangarei before moving to Auckland to work for New Zealand on Air.

Promoting local acts in the early 2000s during a golden time in New Zealand music was a career highlight for Behan and led to further opportunities in music and media. He worked at both Channel Z and The Edge, presented music television for TV2 and C4 where he was able to interview a range of international musicians and hone presenting skills on a variety of formats.

Behan went travelling in 2004 and, despite having only what was in his backpack, managed to make a documentary in 2009 about the inner workings of the Mongolian capital Ulaan Baatar, and direct a music video for Mongolian alt rock group Altan Urag.

Since returning to New Zealand in 2013 he has been working at Radio Hauraki where his highly regarded TUNEiversity helped open audiences up to new and interesting music.

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