The Media Federation of Australia has named Kraft’s Sophie Madden as it’s first CEO in a bid to help grow the organisation.

Madden has over 23 years experience in the industry, and was most recently head of marketing services for Kraft Foods, responsible for the media and creative agency relationships for the FMCG giant.

The new role has been created after the departure of executive director Carol Morris, who quit in September after a decade in charge of the organisation.

Madden has also held senior roles at Vodafone and Unilever, and worked ina  number of agencies including McCann-Erickson and Mitchell and Partners.

MFA President Henry Tajer said: “Given our industry’s fast-paced changes and evolution into a communications industry – offering numerous dynamic services such as content, mobile, search, events and more – there is a huge need to showcase the benefits and value of media agencies to clients, including the investment in capabilities the agencies have been making and continue to make.

“In this environment, and as the MFA strives to grow, it was appropriate to upgrade the leadership role at the MFA to a chief executive with a broader remit.

“With her experience on both agency and client-side roles in Australia and overseas, Sophie has the right credentials to work with the industry to up the ante on our core charter around people, process and performance.”

 

Madden, who takes up the role from February, added: “I’m excited to be returning to media, it is such a dynamic, inspiring and, fast-paced industry.

“What the MFA has established – through many industry initiatives, including the launch of a world-first youth development program Ngen and the MFA Accreditation program – is really impressive.

“I’m looking forward to contributing to growing the value of the industry to our members, their clients and the media organisations they partner.”