GroupM media agency Wavemaker has announced the appointment of Mark Lawson as national head of performance.

Based in Sydney, Lawson will develop the agency’s performance offering, and is tasked with driving world-class standards, rigour and processes across the agency’s national performance products, covering biddable platforms, search and social.

He makes the move to Wavemaker after more than five years at WPP digital-first agency Essence, first in London, then in Singapore, before he helped launch the Sydney office in 2016. Prior to Essence, Mark worked as a planning executive at Optimedia UK.

James Hier, chief growth and product officer at WPP, said: “Mark is a performance native with global and local experience working across some of the toughest performance clients in the world.

“Having taken on the mantle of GroupM’s largest media agency, it has boosted our ability to bring in high-calibre individuals such as Mark.

“Clients are crying out for performance products, and Mark’s in-depth knowledge and world-class expertise will bring us to the leading edge of media, ensuring we continue to drive value and growth for our clients.”

Commenting on his appointment, Lawson said: “I was attracted to the opportunity to be part of the biggest agency within WPP and GroupM, and to work across Wavemaker’s huge range of clients.

“I see my role as getting under the hood of what clients want, and helping them understand the right platforms and KPIs for achieving their goals and maximising return on investment.