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Movings / Shakings: 4 July

Switching sides

Carolyn Robinson has signed up as a reporter on Seven Sharp, marking a switch from MediaWorks to TVNZ.

Robinson, a former Nightline and 3 News presenter, left TV3 in January, and said in a statement she was looking forward to returning to television.

“It’s really exciting to be stepping into a role at Seven Sharp. The team there is fantastic, and I can’t wait to reunite with the show’s executive producer Antony Stevens, who I worked with on 3 News for a couple of years.”

She will start the role later this month to fill in for Matt Chisholm while he hosts Survivor NZ.

Crossing the ditch

Australian PR agency Thrive has announced the opening of its first New Zealand office due to client demand.

The agency has a 16-year history in the Australian market with offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. It’s known for its work with supermarket giant Coles and telco heavyweight Optus.

In New Zealand, it already has a history working with Twitter, Mattel and Callaway Golf in the past decade.

Thrive’s founder and managing director Leilani Abels hails from Wellington and said the agency would be working with Australian and global companies looking to expand into the New Zealand market, along with New Zealand companies who were looking for a high impact PR offering and who were potentially seeking to expand into the Australian market.

“I believe that Thrive’s expertise can add great value for brands looking for a strategic and creative communications consultancy.”

Its trans-Tasman lead and second in command Frances Wills said the agency would deliver career opportunities for local PR talent.

Thrive can be found at: Level 1, 28 Customs St East, Auckland CBD (Mail: PO box 105 194, Auckland City, Auckland 114).

New recruit for new role

Designworks has appointed Danielle Barclay to the newly created role of group head of brand experience.

Barclay is responsible for leading a fully integrated brand experience offer for clients and works closely with chairman and CEO Sven Baker and leadership teams of all six offices and discipline heads.

Her key areas of expertise include experience strategy, spatial, interactive and experiential across the retail, workplace and hospitality categories and previous work includes roles at DDB, TRO and Greater Group.

Barker said the continued growth of Designworks, rapidly changing client needs and the implementation of the company’s vision to be a fully integrated brand experience business would greatly benefit from a dedicated senior executive of Barclay’s calibre.

“Danielle is a brilliant practitioner and business leader across the physical, digital and content landscape, who shares our passion for designing brilliant consumer centered experiences. Her client experience across New Zealand, Australia and Asia is very impressive. I’m looking forward to seeing her grow and develop our offerings – particularly in the Spatial, Interactive and Content Services disciplines.”

Barclay said: “I’ve always admired Designworks, the thinking, the people, the collaborative approach with clients and of course their endless pursuit of world class design that works.”

Double whammy

Boutique communications agency Intelligent Ink has brought on two new “Inkers”.

Emily Mead joins from her role as marketing coordinator at Fisher and Paykel Finance.

She said she was drawn to Intelligent Ink because she “craved a role that would incorporate account management with creativity”.

“It’s always been my dream to bridge the gap between businesses and communities and working for Intelligent Ink allows me to do that.”

Briar Hubbard, a convert from the world of journalism, joins from her role as a sports reporter at Franklin County News.

Intelligent Ink is looking forward to its clients discovering what its new team members have to offer.

Taking the lead

Data Insight has a new general manager in Ryan Watkins.

Watkins has worked in the digital space for 10 years and brings with him extensive business experience, including digital strategy and product design development, database marketing and ecommerce expertise.

His previous role was managing director of GrabOne at NZME.

Managing director Carmen Vicelich said Data Insight was “delighted” to welcome Watkins to the team.

“We were overwhelmed and humbled by the volume of outstanding applicants we received for the GM role but Ryan stood out as a perfect choice. Ryan is a talented leader who’s business acumen and innate understanding of digital technology will deliver value to Data Insight’s customers and the Data Insight team.”

Joining the board

Broadcasting minister Amy Adams announced the appointment of Graham Pryor to the board of RNZ last week.

Pryor is an Auckland-based media business consultant and professional director with a background in accountancy. He led Mai Media, which ran a network of commercial radio stations and provided news and programmed to iwi radio, for 14 years.

He currently serves on the board of Te Kakano Whakatipu and Maitahi Media.

Adams said Pryor’s “extensive governance experience and his Maori perspective will be of great value to the board”.

His term began 1 July and will continue until 30 April 2019. He replaced Tiwana Tibble.

Taking a seat

TVNZ chief executive Kevin Kenrick has been appointed to the board of BNZ.

On 1 July he was appointed as a non-executive director, replacing one of the two departing directors, former Fletcher Group executive Susan Macken and founding Landcare Research chief Andy Pearce.

Kenrick has previously headed up House of Travel and held senior executive roles at Spark NZ when it was still Telecom Corp.

Chairman Doug McKay said in a statement: “To appoint a board member of Kevin’s calibre is a welcome addition to the bank’s governance. He is a seasoned executive and marketer with an understanding of industries experiencing significant disruption through digital channels. He understands how it impacts the customer experience.”

Got that Spark

The Clemenger Group has announced Vanessa Nicol as the new managing partner to run and manage the Spark business across the group companies: Colenso BBDO, Proximity, Touchcast, Creative Activation, .99 and Dynamo Media.

​Nicol steps into the newly created role to lead the business, strategically and creatively, across the group, allocating the right resources at the right time to achieve the best result for Spark.

Group CEO Jim Moser said: “it is an exciting time for the Clemenger Group of companies, having recently consolidated all the Spark business under one holding company structure.”

“It not only reflects the consolidation trends in the global marketplace, but represents a new paradigm for marketing activities at Spark – the nation’s leading digital services provider.”

Spark NZ general manager marketing Clive Ormerod said Spark is excited to have Nicol join the team and with her “vast experience in data, digital and customer personalisation as well as creative” and that he knows she is going to make a “great impact”.

Nicol comes to New Zealand with 18 years experience in the UK and Australia having worked on both the client and agency sides.

She said she was excited to be leading the Clemenger Group on the Spark account.

“The talent and passion that exists within each agency of the group is infectious. My role is to harness and lead that for us on this account. There is also a true partnership with Spark as an agency group – they have a clear ambition.”

Performing for performance

PHD has announce the appointment of Forsyth Thompson into a newly created role of head of performance.

Forsyth, who joins the agency 1 August, 2016, will take charge of leading integration and performance across both search and programmatic.

PHD chief executive Louise Bond said: “search and programmatic should be symbiotic in a world where digital is assuming more and more importance in a media strategy. We’re hot on solutions which enhance the way data, trading and technology work together. Forsyth brings with him vast experience across digital marketing strategy, search engine optimisation and biddable media. He’s hugely respected in his field and we’re really excited to have him joining our team.”

Saying goodbye

The Herald bid farewell long serving picture editor John Sefton last week.

He had worked as a photographer for the company for 41 years and in that time covered events including the Springbok Tour of 1981, the Rainbow Warrior bombing in 1985 and the Fijian Coup in 1987.

Sefton was also picture editor at the time of Princess Diana’s death, 9/11 and the Christchurch earthquake in 2011.

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