Initiative has announced a new senior leadership lineup for its IAG account via two key appointments: Luke Carmichael joining as managing partner, while long-standing team member Elle Galipienzo has been promoted to group business director. He joins weeks after former IAG client lead Melinda Duffy started a new role at oOh!Media.
The newly-strengthened team marks a new chapter for the agency-client relationship as Initiative continues as IAG’s AOR, responsible for media strategy, planning and buying across all channels for the organisation’s entire brand portfolio, including NRMA, CGU and WFI.
It also arrives after IAG’s current CMO, Michelle Klein, announced she was leaving the insurer and join Westpac.
Initiative CEO Jo McAlister said the agency was thrilled to welcome Luke to the team and continue the company culture of promoting from within by elevating Elle to her new role.
“We’re excited to offer IAG a new, highly skilled and energised team. With Luke and Elle in senior leadership roles, we’re bringing even greater firepower to help IAG achieve its ambitious transformation agenda,” said McAlister.
“Our long-standing and ongoing partnership with IAG has delivered exceptional, results-driven work from the acclaimed Bruce Highway Upgrade campaign to the launch of A HELP COMPANY during the Paris Olympics. These campaigns haven’t just built brand awareness they have resulted in real-world behavioural change across communities, and having Elle and Luke at the helm, will add new perspectives and skillsets to the account.”
Newly appointed managing partner Luke Carmichael brings extensive experience in client leadership and digital innovation, most recently serving as head of client service at Carat and prior to that as head of advertiser partnerships at Samsung Ads. Previously, he was agency lead at Google, where he honed his skills building strategic partnerships and digital development.
With a leadership style that focuses on people, problem-solving, and strategy, Carmichael thrives on building and owning relationships through an opportunity lens, driving commercial benefit.
“I’m excited to join Initiative and lead the IAG business through its next growth phase. IAG is an iconic Australian organisation with bold ambitions and our focus will be to deliver connected, data-driven strategies that drive meaningful commercial outcomes, while further elevating Initiative’s reputation as a partner of impact,” Carmichael said.
As part of the new leadership lineup, Elle Galipienzo, who has been with Initiative for more than eight years, steps into the role of Group Business Director, taking on senior client service responsibilities for IAG. With deep cross-functional experience spanning investment, comms planning and client leadership across major brands including ING, Officeworks and Woolworths Insurance, Galipienzo brings strategic and commercial acumen to the mix.
“Elle is a powerhouse talent with a proven track record of client success and a passion for purpose-driven work. She’s ready to take on a more elevated role and IAG presents the perfect opportunity for her to do just that,” said McAlister.
The news comes just days after the announcement that Michelle Klein, who has worked as chief customer and marketing officer at insurance group IAG for the past two years, would be heading to Westpac in the role of chief growth and marketing officer.
At IAG, she overhauled marketing operations with an approach that collapsed the funnel, consolidating customer services and marketing with a customer-experience focus.
Initiative has been IAG’s media AOR, excluding social and performance, which are managed in-house, since 2021. The appointments are effective immediately.
