Carat ANZ CEO Simon Ryan has today announced several internal promotions and formal title changes in a move designed to further bolster Carat’s national executive leadership team and reward high performing talent.

Effective immediately, Sam Hegg (far right) will become the chief strategy officer for Carat Australia, while Adriana Colaneri (far left) has been appointed to the position of chief marketing officer, Sarah James (second from right) will become the chief digital officer, and Ashley Earnshaw (second from left) will join Carat’s national exec leadership team in the position of chief investment officer.

Formerly Carat’s national head of product, Hegg has been integral in establishing the agency’s standout strategic offering, including spearheading a number of recent high profile new business wins. His new role is designed to ensure strategic consistency and alignment, both across the national network and globally.

Colaneri has been with Carat for over ten years, most recently in her capacity as national head of marketing. Having already made an enormous impact over her short tenure, Colaneri’s appointment reflects Carat’s local and global commitment to positioning the brand as a market leader.

Formerly the national head of digital, James’ new role positions her as the driving force behind Carat’s 100 per cent digital vision for 2020.

She will work closely with technology partners, global media partners, and digital agencies to keep Carat clients at the forefront of digital evolution.

Currently Carat Sydney’s head of trading, Earnshaw’s new role is part of an increased emphasis on alignment of client investment priorities across Carat’s five offices, with a clear national investment agenda.

CEO of Carat ANZ, Simon Ryan said, “I’m extremely pleased to further bolster the National Carat Executive Team with such fine, high performing talent.

“This team has been built to not only support leadership and specialist divisions in each state, but to also add rigor and bench-strength at a senior level, ensuring our clients are properly serviced in this ever-changing convergent media landscape.”

“Our clients deserve the best. That, and the personal pride I have in Carat means we only hire and promote the very best people; we focus first and foremost on our client’s needs, and how we can best position ourselves to deliver on that. With our growth and maturity in the market, this sets the standard for quality and best practice.”

The new appointments come off the back of an incredibly successful 2015 for the agency, including winning over $115m in new business and being named B&T’s 2015 ‘Media Agency of the Year’.