Taking the weekday reins
Following the recent resignation of the New Zealand Herald editor-in-chief Tim Murphy, NZME has appointed Otago Daily Times editor Murray Kirkness as the new weekday editor of The New Zealand Herald.
An article published in the Otago Daily Times quotes Murray telling staff at the paper: “I’ve been lucky enough to have a great job, and whoever replaces me will editorially lead, in my opinion, one of the great newspapers and news companies not just in New Zealand but Australasia.”
Herald managing editor Shayne Currie says Kirkness would take the reins of the weekday editions of the Herald and help drive the Herald’s digital journalism from August. His appointment follows the recent promotion of Herald on Sunday editor Miriyana Alexander to Weekend Herald editor.
“Murray is completely audience focused and is a champion of great journalism and fine story-telling,” said Currie in an NZME statement. “Murray and Miriyana are two very strong leaders who, in addition to Marcus Forbes leading digital, will drive quality content.”
Kirkness has been editor of the Otago paper for the past eight years and has been with its parent company, Allied Press, for the 15 years. His background includes stints at the Newcastle Herald in Australia, as day editor, and at Sydney’s Daily Telegraph in Sydney as a sub-editor.
Although the Otago Daily Times is independently owned, the paper does have a partnership with NZME through a copy-sharing arrangement.
Murray will continue at the South Island publication until August, and his replacement has not yet been announced.
The gossip queen
A recent move that has been met with some raised eyebrows around the industry is that of Rachel Glucina, who has left the Herald to MediaWorks, where she will be launching a new digital-only entertainment brand.
A MediaWorks release said: “The new brand will feature original, highly shareable local and international entertainment content and have a strong social media presence. Digital entertainment brands featuring snackable, shareable content (especially video) are the fastest growing part of the media landscape, and our new brand will extend our digital footprint and complement our existing radio and TV brands, adding value for audiences and advertisers. Our goal is to be the go-to website for local and international entertainment content, and Rachel is the leading local player in this space, uniquely placed to create and manage this exciting new project.”
Given Glucina’s reputation as the “gossip queen” of New Zealand media, the move is certainly bold, particularly when viewed in light of the recent cancellation of Campbell Live. Further accentuating the controversy is the recent claims that Glucina had misrepresented herself to the waitress involved in the John Key ponytail-pulling fiasco.
That said, the entertainment gossip space is appealing one for MediaWorks to be in. As things stand, the Woman’s Day website is arguably one of the most active in this space and MediaWorks is clearly backing Glucina to develop a brand capable of competing with the Bauer-owned title. And while Glucina might not be revered among journalist community, she has over the last ten years made a name for herself in her niche.
In other MediaWorks news, Mark Richardson and Dominic Bowden have been appointed to permanent roles, working across the company’s multi-platform assets.
Richardson is one of New Zealand’s leading sports-entertainment broadcasters, and is well-known to MediaWorks’ audiences as host of The Block NZ. Bowden has played a major role in some of the company’s biggest projects, including The X Factor NZ and Dancing With The Stars NZ, and has previously worked as a MoreFM announcer.
Richardson’s appointment means that he will stop hosting the Crowd Goes Wild Breakfast on NZME-owned Radio Sport at the end of August. He will however continue to hosting The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime as well as serving as a cricket commentator for Sky Sport.
NZME Radio’s general manager of talk Dallas Gurney said: “Mark’s a great guy and he’s been part of the Radio Sport team over many years. We wish him well. We are 100 percent committed to Andrew Mulligan and the Crowd Goes Wild brand. Andrew is an absolute star and we are working through some exciting and fresh options that will take the show and Radio Sport to the next level. As you can imagine it is a highly sought after role with the success and following the show has.”
Reinforcements head for College Hill
Colenso BBDO/Proximity announced six new creative hires, with Jordan Dale, Clemens Zlami, Ben Barnes, Matt Webster, Darryl Wong and Kim Pick (pictured left to right) joining the team at College Hill.
Executive creative director Wayne Pick said: “I’m absolutely chuffed to have these guys on board as Proximity continues to grow. They are all great innovators in the digital, direct, social and integrated space and I’m excited about the creative opportunities for them here. We’ve already got some exciting projects underway for clients like Spark, BNZ and Visa.”
Proximity recently won the Spark account from the incumbent Rapp, leading to job cuts at the agency housed within the DDB building. And it’s thought that the increase in staff at Proximity is largely in response to the added workload of the telco’s account. In fact, a couple of the new recruits have followed the account from Rapp to Proximity.
Art director Dale joined from Ogilvy, where his campaigns included the award-winning Forest & Bird campaign. Axis student of the year in 2013, he’s already picked up Caples Gold and a D&AD Yellow and Graphite Pencil for his work. He teams up with his former Copywriter Clemens Zlami, who returns from Naked Melbourne.
Senior creatives Barnes and Webster joined from DDB/Rapp NZ, where they were digital group heads. Their social and experiential projects included ‘Westpac Giving Tree’ and Steinlager ‘Change the Bottle, Change The Game’.
Senior writer Wong and creative director Kim Pick have also now joined the permanent team at College Hill. Pick, formerly writer and creative director at Saatchi and Saatchi in London, was most recently executive creative director at Rapp New York and continued to work remotely for the New York office following her return to New Zealand. She’s jointly led alongside Pick at agencies TBWATequila, Rapp New York and New Zealand. Wong is a long time collaborator, and has also previously worked with the pair at Rapp New Zealand.
In other Colenso news, the agency has also lured creative Dave Brady back to New Zealand and to work as a creative director after a four-year stint in Australia where he was head of art at Whybin/TBWA. Brady has over 20 years’ experience at both start-up and major network agencies in London, New Zealand and Australia and has collected over 70 local and international awards.
While in Australia, Brady was involved in numerous new business wins and helped to create award-winning campaigns for NRMA and the ANZ (to name a few). Prior to heading to Australia, Brady was responsible for many award-winning campaigns as creative director and head of art at DDB New Zealand and before that as group head at FCB New Zealand.
“I’ve had a fruitful time in Australia and have learned so much but it’s great being back in New Zealand,” Brady said in a statement. “Over the past few years I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the most talented people in the industry and I’m really looking forward to continuing that streak at Colenso. Nick and the team have a fantastic reputation worldwide. They’re consistently performing at the highest level and are renowned for creating original, refreshing and unexpected work for their clients.”
In fashion
Fashion Quarterly recently appointed Kelly McAuliffe to join its team in the role of digital editor for the recently introduced FQ.co.nz website.
McAuliffe is a senior digital hire with over ten years’ experience in online media, starting out as life and style editor on nzherald.co.nz, then moving to London where she held senior digital and social media roles with a particular focus in the luxury fashion space. Her experience in London included three years as social media manager within the Net-a-Porter Group. McAuliffe has also worked agency-side consulting with premium brands on online content creation and social media strategy.
Kelly said of her appointment: “I am thrilled to be returning to New Zealand and joining Bauer Media at such an exciting time, with such a huge focus on and investment in digital. As a young girl, Fashion Quarterly played a big part in my deciding to become a journalist and it feels so appropriate that this is the title that has brought me home. With Sally-Ann Mullin at the helm bringing a new, fresh vision to the Fashion Quarterly brand, I look forward to working closely with her to bring FQ’s online presence to life.”
Her appointment comes six weeks after the new FQ website launched, and Bauer Media have reported last site has had just over 63,000 visits since being unveiled.
Bauer head of digital Michael Fuyala said: “These early numbers are ahead of expectations after just over one month. We have an exciting FQ.co.nz brand campaign kicking off this month featuring icons from the New Zealand fashion industry in a very creative concept dreamt up by the team at FCB New Zealand. It will include video, social, digital display, print and outdoor channels.”
A homecoming
Indie agency Chemistry Interaction has hired four new staff members to help service their growing client list, which now includes Samsung, Caltex, Bridgestone and Tony’s Tyres, Cancer Society, MobileIron, Fisher Funds and Serta Mattresses.
First up is business director Jacqui Copas, who has returned home to New Zealand from London digital agency Zone, where she ran the Pro-Social (not for profit) side of the agency, leading a cross-functional team of 40.
Copas’ international experience has seen her work on brands like The Nike Foundation, Cancer Research UK, NSPCC, Prostate Cancer UK, Shelter, BT, Reckitt Benckiser and London School of Economics. She has also worked client-side for Telecom, Yellow Pages and WHSmith.
Also returning home is senior account director Laura Austin, who joins from Sydney with several head of marketing roles under her belt. Austin brings many years of integrated marketing experience on brands such as ANZ, Qantas, Visa, Telstra, NRMA, Foxtel, Canon, Whitcoulls and Video Ezy.
The third appointment on the client service side is account director Helen McGrath, who joins Chemistry from Twenty, where she worked for five and a half years on Energy Online, PlaceMakers, AA Insurance and Bay Audiology.
And finally, senior account manager Alex Priestner joins from Ubiquity, where she worked on Southern Cross, Panasonic, Tower, Accor, Palmers, Stella and Ziera.
A senior trio
JustOne/.99 has strengthened its strategic and client-service offering, with three senior appointments: Amy Dufty, Angela Legge and Pippa O’Regan (pictured left to right).
Legge first stepped on board in October as a senior planner, and has now been appointed head of planning across both agencies.
The newly created group business director roles have been filled by Amy Dufty (who joins from Ogilvy), and Pippa O’Regan, who has recently been promoted from group account director to this role.
Legge’s two decades of experience encompasses a broad skill-set spanning brand, engagement, digital, data, CRM and loyalty, working on clients including BNZ, Telecom, Air New Zealand, Sky Television, Lexus and McDonald’s. Legge was most recently from Colenso BBDO where she was a senior planner.
Having worked above and below the line in both New Zealand and the UK on Sainsbury’s, Westpac, Barclays, Countdown, and Telecom, Dufty brings over 15 years of advertising and marketing experience to her new position. In her new position, Dufty will focus on .99’s more brand and consumer service focused retail clients.
O’Regan, who has been with the agency since 2013, has retail experience on both client and agency sides, working both locally and internationally in the UK and Australia. Her experience includes Aldi, Pizza Hut, T Mobile as well as client side with The Rebel Group more recently. The new role will see her retain the lead on Warehouse Stationery and New World supermarkets, while also picking up responsibility for several key retail clients, including Carpet Court.
Ben Goodale, the managing director of .99 and JustOne, said: “I’ve known Angela for a number of years now, so it’s great to have her here. Since joining us late last year she has demonstrated a strong focus on integration of disciplines, driving great results for our clients, and really digging deep to develop relevant strategies for the fragmenting media world. Amy is simply a great person who is already adding value and energy across the business. Her experience across brand, retail and 1-1 is a real asset, but even better is her calm, confident approach to business issues and the way she leads her team. I’ve enjoyed working with Pippa over the last couple of years and she has really earned this enlargement of her responsibility. She has built a strong team and earned the respect of her clients, I am certain she will continue to deliver on that in her new role.”
A promotion
2degrees has announced Charlotte Johnson, former 2degrees consumer communications manager as the new head of marketing communications. Johnson has accepted the role, effective immediately to replace Trent Harnett, who moved on after seven years with the company.
Chief marketing officer, Malcolm Phillipps said he was pleased to make the appointment.
“Charlotte has been with 2degrees for more than four years, working on many of 2degrees’ biggest and best campaigns. She brings more than 12 years of marketing experience to the role and great communications insight.”
Chasing digital talent
Michael Te Young has founded FutureYou, a company he says will assist managers in recruiting digital staff.
“Unfortunately many recruitment agencies have been drift nets for CVs,” says Te Young. “Digital companies have basically had to do their own screening, profiling and evaluation and there’s been little value-added by their services. I mean how are they supposed to find good candidates if they don’t understand the roles? To understand digital you have to have done it.”
FutureYou specialises in digital media disciplines such as management, sales, planning, operations, programmatic, search, content, social, and technology. It can work alongside publishers, agencies, sales networks, suppliers and marketers alike.
In terms of candidates, it is not just looking within the local industry. It also aims to attract talent from international markets, and to develop opportunities for graduates and new entrants. To achieve this, Te Young says FutureYou will offer training services as well.
Te Young has worked in digital for over 17 years having held senior roles across many facets of the industry. Most recently, he spent seven years as a digital business director at OMD before becoming a consultant.
“Digital is a passion,” he said in a release. “I love the industry, and how fast it changes otherwise I wouldn’t have been in it for so long. I have a lot of close friends and colleagues here so it’s a chance to work with them all. I don’t want to be disconnected from digital but I figure if I treat FutureYou as a digital business and stay close to the industry then I’ll still be digital”
Te Young is not alone in his venture. Alongside him is Erica Kroger who has extensive recruitment experience including eight years operating in ICT and sales and the last three years as a career consultant and coach advising people across all stages of their careers.
Changed ambiance
Ambient Group has announced that Fran Cummings will take on the role of sales manager, effective 13 July.
Cummings arrives from oOh! Media where she spent the past four years as an account and business manager working across the retail media portfolio. She was an integral part of the team responsible for key client growth opportunities and new business strategies.
“Adding Fran to head our sales team adds a significant asset, and further contributes to our already extensive growth this year,” said Chris Monaghan, the chief executive of Ambient Group. “I’m very excited by the new opportunities and expertise that Fran brings to us and our clients. Fran will work alongside Cameron Taylor, who also starts this week as General Manager of Outdoor, and will be bolstered by our newly upgraded experiential and PR teams.”
Cummings has also worked with a number of major New Zealand and Australian agencies such as SparkPHD, Carat, and Ikon.
Straight out of uni
Video and Entertainment Network Asia (VeNA) has recently appointed Nikisha Patel as advertising operations and marketing assistant to its Britomart based New Zealand team.
“With previous exposure to marketing and digital media working with companies such as Ecoya and APN Outdoor, Nikisha gained valuable experience while studying full-time [as a business student], says Toni Knowles, the general manager of New Zealand arm of the business. “That coupled with her proactive and ‘can do’ attitude made her our stand out applicant. It is fantastic to see such a high calibre of grads coming through who are so enthusiastic about getting involved in the video and mobile video scene. We had a strong response to our role, and are pleased to welcome Nikisha to the team.”
From retail to e-tail
Previously at the Warehouse Group, Kevin Rowland has joined Australasian ecommerce solutions company eStar as chief operations officer.
Rowland brings 35 years of experience to the role, having held various senior retail positions.
Before joining the Warehouse Group as group business information manager in 2011, Rowland was systems support and development manager at Warehouse Stationery, responsible for the management, support and development of systems including ERP/merchandise (Oracle), POS, ecommerce and all operational business information. When he took on the larger role at The Warehouse Group level, he was responsible not only for all BI but also the development and maintenance of the Teradata Data Warehouse. Earlier this year he became the first Kiwi ever to be accredited as a Qlik Luminary, due to his passion of driving forward self-service Business Information.
Prior to moving to New Zealand in 2006, Rowland held senior positions at Safeway Stores in the UK (one of the UK’s top four grocery retailers). At eStar Kevin will lead the production team, driving the development of processes and reporting across the company.
eStar chief executive Andrew Buxton said: “Kevin’s background in operations management and information technology provides a great platform for eStar’s next phase of growth. Recognised internationally as a business intelligence expert, Kevin’s experience will help ensure eStar continually improves our service to clients and perfectly positions eStar to deliver large scale ecommerce deployments across Australasia.”
Sports deal
AdHub has further consolidated its online advertising network by signing a partnership with ESPN.
New General Manager Garry Jordan said in a release that securing ESPN is a massive win for the Adhub network, in that it allows the company to deliver New Zealand’s largest unduplicated sport audience in partnership with NZME sport, including nzherald.co.nz and radiosport.co.nz.
The ESPN digital network reaches over 500,000 people each month, generating 10 million page impressions—and this is particularly significant in terms of reaching male audiences.
Other websites currently in the AdHub network include realestate.co.nz, interest.co.nz, Golf.co.nz, NZX.com, among others. There’s only so much space in an email, so feel free to visit our site to see the full list here.
