Dentsu Mitchell has announced the retirement of Ron Phillips (pictured above, right) after over 12 years’ service on the Victorian government and Nissan accounts.

For the past 11 years, Phillips has held the role of group client service director on the Victorian government business.

He joined Dentsu Mitchell (then Mitchell and Partners) in 2005 to manage the Nissan account after spending 31 years with the Clemenger BBDO network.

John Thompson (pictured above, left), managing director of Victorian government services at Dentsu Mitchell, said: “For the past 11 years, I have worked with Ron either as a client or as a colleague here at Dentsu Mitchell on the Victorian government business.

“Ron remains one of the best people I have ever worked with in my career, and I wish Ron, Jill and their family all the very best for the future.”

“Ron will remain connected to the agency working with Dentsu Mitchell on some of our pro-bono clients and across our involvement with RMIT and the Sexton Award,” added Thompson.

Commenting on his departure, Phillips said: “After 12 years with the group and 11 years of service on Victorian government media communications, it is time for a change of pace.

“I have been fortunate and privileged to work with many great clients, as well as terrific media industry colleagues, and most importantly, a talented and dedicated team at Dentsu Mitchell and the broader Dentsu Aegis Network.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges, as well as the rewarding times of working across such a diverse client, from bushfires and floods to Melbourne’s great arts and events, as well as TAC, VRGF and Visit Victoria to name a few.

“I am particularly proud of working closely with RMIT to create a framework of industry engagement and assisting with the development of the next generation of media and communications professionals.

“I leave Dentsu Mitchell at a time when the Victorian government team under John Thompson’s leadership has never been stronger, and I wish all of my Dentsu Aegis Network colleagues all the very best for the future.”

At the same time as saying goodbye to one of its most loyal and long-term senior leaders, Dentsu Mitchell has also announced the promotion of Sylvia Pickering (pictured above) to the role of group client service director to lead the Victorian government team.

Pickering joined the Dentsu Aegis Network in 2010 at its digital media agency, emitch, that later merged into the Dentsu Mitchell brand.

Since then, Pickering has played a key role in the establishment of Dentsu’s programmatic network, AMNET.

In 2012, Pickering joined Dentsu Mitchell as digital director, and for the last year has played a key role on the Victorian government account in her role as client service director.

Pickering has been part of Dentsu Mitchell’s high potential talent program and will now join the Melbourne management team as part of her new role.

Commenting on her promotion, Pickering said: “I feel both excited and privileged to be taking on this role, and to be taking over from someone of Ron’s calibre.

“The Victorian government never fails to provide you with exciting and challenging work, be it in the behavioural change space or encouraging Victorians to go out and experience what our state has to offer.

“I look forward to working even more closely with the Victorian government, as well as the large, dynamic government team here at Dentsu Mitchell.”

Adrian Roeling, national managing director at Dentsu Mitchell, said: “Ron has been a great leader in our business over many years, and is a true gentleman. His hard work and dedication were an important part of our growth, and we thank him for it.

“At the same time, we are very pleased to promote internally for this critical role, and we congratulate Sylvia on her promotion.