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Movings/Shakings: 1 November

.99 problems but new staff ain’t one 

On the back of a run of significant new business wins in 2013 including Genesis Energy, Warehouse Stationery and L’Oreal, .99 has recently welcomed three senior team members: Pippa O’Regan, Chris Long and Colin Rebairo. 

“These three appointments support our leadership in retail and channels to market: deep category insight, expertise and proven creativity wrapped up inside a collective forty years of experience,” says managing director Ben Goodale. 

O’Regan joins as group account director heading up the New World and Warehouse Stationery accounts. She has over 15 years of experience working with retail clients both in Australia and the UK, including the launch of ALDI supermarkets in Australia. She was also the marketing and advertising manager for Rebel Sport and Amart Allsport in Australia. 

Long, who has worked in advertising for over a decade at agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy and Droga5, joins as creative group head. In that time he’s also won or been nominated for multiple awards for both creativity and effectiveness at shows like Cannes, D&AD, AWARD and the Effies.

His multi-faceted creative skills, including extensive digital and retail skills, make him a real asset to our clients,” says chief creative officer, Craig Whitehead. 

Rebairo joins as senior digital strategist, and has over 15 years experience gained in London, Auckland and Sydney specialising in the integration of effective digital/social, data and customer relationship marketing strategies. His recent experience includes Unilever, Guinness, Reckitt Benckiser, BSkyB and Foxtel.

“Colin is a really great guy and in just a few days we are seeing the benefit of his focus on digital leadership; he is integral to how we deliver winning digital strategies for our clients,” says Goodale. “He’ll add value to the justONE strategic planning team too.” 

Other recent hires at .99 include Liz Harvey as executive digital producer, Mike Knight as senior art director, Simon and James (junior creatives), Rebecca Brown (designer) and Kate Roydhouse (account manager).

Deaks departs

Radio and television host Murray Deaker, 68, has announced he is leaving both Newstalk ZB and his Sky TV programme, Deaker on Sport. 

“Timing is everything in sport and life. I want to get out while I’m still at the top of my game. There are fresh challenges that I am keen to have a crack at,” says Deaker. “… I am grateful to Newstalk ZB for the opportunity it gave me to allow my passion for sport and people to become my profession. I have had a ball.”

On Tuesday, he told the viewers of Deaker on Sport that it was his last show. The Herald reported that he will host his final Newstalk ZB/Radio Sport show on December 22 after a break following hip replacement surgery. 

Deaker won the Best Sports Presenter at the Radio Awards seven times (including last year) and was a finalist on ten other occasions (including this year). In 2009 he received the award Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for Services to Broadcasting. His radio programmes have consistently rated number one.

A Radio Network release says: “Deaker pioneered sports talk back on Newstalk ZB. He has thrived on the debates, the unpredictability, the humour and the emotion. His open, direct, forthright style made his programmes lively, provocative and informative.” 

The Radio Network’s general manager talk programming Dallas Gurney, says after 27 years as a host it is the end of an era.

“Murray is an iconic sports broadcaster in New Zealand and his name and voice are synonymous with sport in this country. Whether celebrating our wins or lamenting our losses, Murray has been a constant presence on New Zealand’s sporting landscape,” says Gurney.

Deaker’s radio successor will be announced in due course. And they’ll have some pretty big shoes to fill. 

Turning the dial

Speaking of The Radio Network, there are some changes behind the scenes too, with chief executive Jane Hastings saying youth is a priority and needs dedicated resource.

“I’m hugely excited about our youth brands, where they are currently at and what their potential is. In the past 12 months TRN’s 18-34 National share has increased by 21.4 percent over the last year (T2 2012 to T2 2013). This new structure is stage two of the plan and is about injecting more support around our youth brands and letting them fly.”

Mike McClung, who is currently the content director for Hauraki, has accepted the new role of group content director – ZM, Flava and Hauraki. McClung has an extensive background in radio and music having previously worked for TRN before a spell in the music industry working at EMI and internationally for New Zealand On Air.

Longstanding content director for ZM, Christian Boston has resigned and will leave TRN on 18 November to take up a role with MediaWorks in 2014 as network programme director for More FM, where he will be responsible for the 22 More FM stations around the country.  

He has been content director for the ZM Network for 13 years and has also been responsible for the Flava brand since 2009.

“Christian’s experience and knowledge have seen him build ZM and more recently Flava to the brands they are today,” says MediaWorks group programme director Andrew Szusterman. “We’re now looking forward to him moving the More FM brand into a new era. With his addition to the MediaWorks Radio programming team, we will have by far the most experienced radio team in the market, a major competitive advantage as we head into 2014.” 

Back at The Radio Network, the new structure has also seen some internal promotions, with ZM’s Sarah Gandy becoming content director for ZM

“Sarah’s had ten years at ZM and in addition to being great talent on air she has shown real skills in the content area,” says chief content officer Dean Buchanan. “She is ZM’s target audience so knows and understands what they want and need and where the stations need to be; she will literally be able to start running from day one.”

Hayden Hare has also been promoted to content director for Flava after leading the brands promotional efforts in recent times. Flava has increased its audience by 42 percent nationally resulting in the largest increase in audience of any station in the country in the latest survey.

David Ridler will take over the content reins at Hauraki after a successful stint at Classic Hits in Wellington. Ridler has a long track record in the radio and music industries, including stints at New Zealand On Air and Channel Z.

Other internal promotions see Matt Anderson elevated to become assistant content director.

A new Hunter

Indie Melbourne & Auckland agency Hunter has appointed Elise Stickley as account manager, fresh from three years at digital agency PHDiQ. She will be predominantly managing Hunter’s New Zealand accounts. 

Haysom to Pead

Pead PR has appointed Amelia Haysom as senior account manager on its beauty team.

She has a Bachelor of Communications degree from AUT University and has extensive experience in fashion, beauty and lifestyle PR. She joins Pead PR from Starseed PR and currently holds the Beauty Directory Australasia title for Outstanding Contribution to Beauty Public Relations in New Zealand awarded in November 2012.

“We are fortunate enough to be the long standing PR partner to L’Oréal NZ and its consumer and professional brands and securing the right people for this dream account is always a priority for us,” Deborah Pead says. “Next year is a big year for L’Oréal and its brands and Amelia is joining us at a dynamic time.”  

Meanwhile Anna Reeve leaves Pead PR in December as she prepares for the arrival of her twins. 

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