Apparent has appointed Simon Pugh as chief media officer to lead and grow the full-service independent agency’s media offering in Australia and internationally.
With a global perspective, a proven track record as a business builder and transformation leader and deep experience in media and marketing, Pugh has held senior leadership positions across Publicis Groupe, Omnicom and Dentsu in Sydney, New York and San Francisco.
Prior to joining Apparent, he was the chief client officer of the newly formed EssenceMediacom agency in Australia. He has worked with startups and international brands, including Square, Microsoft, Diageo, and The Coca-Cola Company.
Pugh said: “I was drawn to Apparent because it’s an agency that’s focussed on solving complex client problems through the integration of media, creativity, data and technology. Importantly, these are deep specialisms that currently all exist within the agency, not typical across today’s Australian agency landscape. In a world where clients need help to design and operationalise their future-focused marketing capabilities, I really believe our integrated, agile and tech-focused model is a differentiator. From my very first conversations with Phil and Suzy I was impressed by the culture of the agency and its singular focus on delivering business impact for clients.”
Suzy Smiley, managing director at Apparent, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Simon to Apparent’s leadership team. His considerable experience working with major brands at some of the most recognised and awarded agencies will help accelerate our media and marketing capabilities. We continue to attract top talent to Apparent that helps drive our clients’ businesses and expand our global footprint.”
Pugh is the latest senior appointment at Apparent, one of the largest full-service independent agencies in Australia. Jason Hill joined the agency in December as chief strategy officer, a newly created role.
