Fairfax Media has announced the creation of a new division to focus on Fairfax’s extensive brand portfolio and key advertising categories.
To be known as Brand Solutions and Client Development, the division will be headed by former group sales director of the Financial Review Group Michael Grenenger, who becomes director – brand solutions and client development. Grenenger has more than 30 years’ experience in media sales and business development.
The division will have a team of brand and category specialists reporting to Grenenger, working alongside Fairfax’s agency and direct sales teams.
The Brand Solutions team will consist of Fairfax brand and audience experts who will work closely with product and editorial teams to devise innovative content and audience integration opportunities for advertisers.
The Client Development team will foster strong relationships with key advertisers across Fairfax’s four core categories of finance, retail, automotive and travel and bring a deep understanding of their business and the environment in which they operate. They will work closely with advertisers to better understand their marketing and advertising needs and identify opportunities and solutions.
Fairfax commercial director Tom Armstrong said: “A core part of our strategy is to increase expertise in our advertisers’ business and focus on solving their marketing problems in a complex landscape. We have a fantastic portfolio of iconic brands with highly engaged audiences and this new team will strive to provide creative and innovative ways of connecting advertisers to them. The Client Development team will drive analytical insights and thought leadership in their categories through the creation of ‘category hubs’ and ‘client knowledge centres’, enabling much stronger collaboration with agencies and advertisers. I’m really excited by the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Client Development team appointments
The newly appointed client development directors are:
Travel – Omri Godijn, who joined Fairfax in 2011, led the travel category in the FX team and was most recently National Sales Director, Arts, Entertainment, Sport and Drive.
Retail – Alex Glennon, who has been with Fairfax since 2012 and was most recently National Sales Director, Magazines and previously spent eight years in corporate strategy roles.
Automotive – Bryan Marshman, who joins Fairfax from Bauer Media where he was responsible for national sales and integration across Bauer’s key motoring titles including Top Gear and Wheels.
Banking & Finance – Danielle Szetho, who previously led Fairfax’s Data Transformation initiative and was most recently Head of Data Partnerships working closely with key banking and finance clients.
Brand Solutions team appointments
Directors have also been appointed within Brand Solutions:
Business – Nicki Singh, who for the past 15 years has held senior sales and partnership roles at Bauer Media and News Corp, with a particular focus on the luxury sector.
Victoria – Andrew Schutt, who has been with Fairfax for 10 years, most recently as Acting Victorian Sales Director for Media Solutions and prior to that Victorian Sales Manager for the Financial Review Group. Schutt will also lead the Business vertical in Victoria.
Fairfax is currently recruiting two Brand Solutions director roles for the Life Media and Entertainment/Sport/Drive verticals.
Michael Grenenger said: “We’re extremely proud to be able to promote from within our own sales team for many of these roles and we’ve drawn in great new talent from other parts of the industry.”
Lead image: L-R Alex Glennon, Bryan Marshman, Michael Grenenger, Danielle Szetho, Omri Godijin
