A strategic hire
Strategy Creative Christchurch has a new strategic director in Lee Parkinson.
Parkinson has been a strategist for more than two decades and in that time, his work has been recognised at many international and domestic shows. He’s also been a judge industry awards, such as Cannes and AdFest.
Strategy Creative managing partner Nick Harvey says having Parkinson join the team is a major coup.
“Lee has more experience than most in the New Zealand industry. He’s been in the game almost as long as Strategy has been in business so he’s seen all the trends come and go.
“For me, the combination of his previous experience mixed with his forward-thinking attitude is invaluable. He will be right at home in the studio with the youthful, energetic, and progressive environment we have here.”
New kid on the block
Century Film Studio has opened in Auckland, offering a space for television and film productions, advertising stills, photography shots and events.
Studio manager and freelance DOP Chris Watkins says the studio is the result of speaking with people across the industry, realising their frustrations were shared and compiling everything they would like to see in a studio.
Situated in Rosedale, it features white cyclorama shooting space, a high lighting rig, a blackout option and digital green screen, photographic studio space with work desks, food prep and kitchen area, client lounge, wardrobe, and make up and green rooms.
New digs
BlacklandPR has announced the opening of its new office in Hamilton, to be run by ex-journalist and PR consultant Greta Shirley.
Director Mark Blackham says businesses in the Waikato are substantial and sophisticated.
“The Waikato excels in business sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, retail and health. These are complex operations, with high quality expectations from customers. Complexity brings with it tough PR challenges. We’re setting up in the Waikato to help with smart PR thinking and hard work.”
Blackham said he was delighted to have Shirley running the Waikato office, as the two had worked together at another Wellington PR consultancy.
“I have first-hand experience of Greta’s wisdom, attention to detail and rock-solid commitment to clients. Waikato clients could not be in better hands.”
Shirley has returned to Hamilton, where she was raised, from London as where she was head of communications and marketing for pharmaceutical specialist Walgreens Boots Alliance.
She has worked in TVNZ newsrooms and parliamentary press gallery, before moving into communications. Since 2006, she has worked both as a consultant, and in-house leadership roles, for clients in the science, environmental, energy, pharmaceutical and public sectors.
Cooking up something new
Editor of Dish Vanessa Marshall is leaving Tangible Media to take up a new role as editor of Nadia magazine at Bauer.
Sarah Henry, editorial director of lifestyle, health, food and custom, says Marshall is a talented editor.
“She brings with her endless creative content ideas and fresh perspectives as well as strong commercial thinking and market knowledge. Her years of experience in lifestyle publishing will take an already successful and much-loved magazine to the next level.”
Current Nadia editor, Lucy Slight, moves to a new features director role across the Bauer home and fashion portfolios.
Taking over the Dish editorial role is Naomi Larkin, who joins Tangible Media from Bauer, where she edited Simply You and managed special projects.
Turning a new page
Journalist Rebecca Macfie has left The New Zealand Listener to write a biography of the late New Zealand Council of Trade Unions boss, Helen Kelly.
Macfie says her decision to leaveThe New Zealand Listener had not been easy, but she was committed to writing the book about Kelly.
“An extraordinary woman a brave and committed trade unionist who fought for the interests of marginalised workers, overturned traditional concepts of unionism, and never gave up”.
The book has been commissioned by independent Wellington publisher Awa Press, which published Macfie’s Tragedy at Pike River Mine: How and why 29 Men Died. The biography is scheduled for release towards the end of 2019.
Macfie said along the way she would also be working as a freelance journalist.
“The media scene in New Zealand is more wide open than it’s ever been, with plenty of outlets for really important stories.”
