…as Les Mills International announces two key staff changes, Ogilvy signs up Ellison, the NBR announces a new admedia reporter, two new in the nzherald.co.nz crew and D&AD chooses its chiefs.
In fitness and in health
Vaughan Schwass, who has been marketing director at Les Mill for the past six years, has accepted the role of chief executive of Les Mills Enterprises, a newly created role that sees him head a growing team focused on business development. The role will see him controlling Les Mills’ clothing and merchandise business, managing strategic commercial partnerships and developing new business opportunities.
Replacing Schwass as marketing director is Andrew Young, who joined the company in May as marketing manager.
He joined Les Mills International, which has just signed up with Colenso, from the Starship Foundation, where he has been chief executive for the past seven years. He is charged with turning solid consumer insights into world-class marketing initiatives for use in the 80 countries Les Mills has a presence in. He takes over to lead the brand, market research, communications and online teams.
During Schwass’ time as marketing director, Les Mills International collected several marketing awards, including an Effie, the Supreme Award at the 2009 Marketing Awards and, most recently, the Export Award at this year’s NZ Marketing Awards.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome both Vaughan and Andrew to their new roles,” says chief executive of Les Mills International, Phillip Mills. “Both are incredibly skilled and commercially-minded leaders who will deliver on the business needs of their respective departments. Andrew will pick up on the fantastic work Vaughan has done in the marketing area of our business and will take it into a consumer-centric direction to really focus on our customers’ needs. In his new role, Vaughan will identify opportunities for new revenue streams with the aim of developing key profit centres for the company. I am confident that these two departments are in good hands as they meet the evolving demands of the business.”
Ellison joins the Big O
Kim Ellison has joined Ogilvy as a creative group head to add to its sizable retail offering.
“Kim is a classy writer who has won heaps of awards during her career,” says Ogilvy NZ executive creative director Damon O’Leary. “She’ll work across the board but have special responsibility on KFC. Our latest work for KFC NZ [new work is set to launch tomorrow night]is already benefitting from her influence.”
Ellison, who had been working with Ogilvy on a contract basis, came from a gig at Image Centre Group’s Hotfoot and before that was creative director in DDB’s retail arm, where she produced award-winning work on The Warehouse.
She will work with Graham Dolan, Ogilvy’s retail creative director and partner with Gaelyn Churchill.
“I’m excited to be working with the team here on some great clients, even though Damon wouldn’t let me do backing vocals for the Hathaways,” she says. “I’m working on that though.”
Review at the Review
Alex Walls, who has been at the NBR since the start of the year writing about tech, travel and general business, is taking over the admedia round.
She replaces Nicola Williams, who took over from Hazel Phillips in June.
Two new in the Herald crew
The nzherald.co.nz advertising sales team has been further strengthened with the addition of two newly created roles, with Ryan Mudie being lured back from APN’s Brisbane office to take up the position of agency sales manager and Tama Sefuiva being promoted from his role as senior account manager to advertising solutions manager.
Mudie will be managing the agency sales teams in Auckland and Wellington, while Sefuiva’s focus will be on fostering large commercial partnerships and new opportunities across the APN Online suite of products.
“I’m stoked to have Ryan back in the team, and Tama’s promotion is very well-deserved,” says nzherald.co.nz’s Donna O’Keeffe. “It’s great to have them both in roles I know they will excel at. The guys are both innovative, big picture thinkers, and these new roles help to underpin the breadth of our offering here at APN Online.”
Contact them on [email protected] and [email protected].
Chiefs chosen
Rosie Arnold, creative director and partner at Bartle Bogle Hegarty, has been named as the president of D&AD, replacing outgoing president Simon “Sanky” Sankarayya.
The D&AD presidency is a unique platform to advocate for change in the design, advertising and creative sectors and Arnold, just the second woman to be elected president during its 49 years of existence, will use her role as a platform to discuss inequality in the sector.
Arnold started at BBH in 1983 and was behind many of the classic Levi’s ads of the 80s and 90s. She has subsequently overseen campaigns for Unilever, Lynx, Pretty Polly and many others.
Neville Brody, one of the world’s most renowned designers and dean of the Royal College of Art, was also ratified as D&AD vice president by unanimous vote. Brody rose to promincence in the 80s as the art director of The Face, before moving to Arena in 1986. He is a designer, typographer, art director, brand strategist and consultant, and his agency Research Studios has clients all over the world.
