UM Australia has promoted Kim Lion from the role of chief client officer to managing director of UM Melbourne.

Lion will take over from David Angell, who is leaving to be executive media director at Target.

Lion has been chief client officer for 18 months and was previously a group director at UM.

Mat Baxter, UM Australia CEO, said: “Kim is one of the most talented media professionals I have worked with in terms of her people skills, client relationships and commercial capabilities. We wish David every success as he moves to the client side. He has done a very good job for UM in setting the stage for our Melbourne office.

“Melbourne is a vital and dynamic media market and we have ambitious plans for 2013 and beyond. Kim will now lead the implementation of those plans and she will have full support from me and our national management team.”

Lion added: “In my national client role I have been very close to the Melbourne office and the agency’s work and business environment is very familiar to me. I am looking forward to taking on the new role.”