GroupM has announced a restructure that will see search marketing agency, Outrider, integrated into the group’s media brands including Mindshare, MediaCom, Maxus and Mediaedge:cia. Marcelo Silva, currently the general manager of Outrider, has been appointed to general manager GroupM Search Australia across the five GroupM brands, with all search teams now reporting to him. Silva will be supported by Susan Zabeti, director of GroupM Search and David Fernandez, search operations director.
M&C Saatchi’s digital arm Mark has appointed Simone Blakers as its new client services director. Blakers has more than 14 years’ experience working in Australia and Europe with clients such as Microsoft, Ninemsn, AMP, and American Express. Most recently she was business director at GPY&R leading the relationship marketing activity and has also worked with Leo Burnett, FNL, Simon Richards Group, OgilvyOne, Euro RSCG, and most recently GPY&R. Blakers replaces Dominique Hind, who has left to head up Leo Burnett’s digital operations.
Fairfax Digital has hired former Australian Radio Network staffer Richard Biggins as its Victorian sales manager. Biggins, a former Australian Olympian, has been tasked with the job of growing online display revenue across the state. He will work across the company’s flagship masthead websites including theage.com.au, smh.com.au, WAtoday.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, and classified sites drive, domain, mycareer, and dating site rsvp. Biggins previously spent three years with ARN, as network sponsorship manager and general agency sales manager.
