Marketing executive Carmen Bekker has joined KPMG Australia as a Partner to head up a new specialist Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Advisory team.

Bekker is the latest senior addition to the firm’s rapidly growing Customer, Brand & Marketing Advisory business which launched in June 2017.

Since then, the team has jumped from 43 specialists to 72, including nine partners. Recent additions include senior industry leaders Lisa Bora (ex-Google), Mark Hassell (ex-Virgin Australia) who joined as partners, and Melanie Evans (formerly GM of Business to Business IT at Telstra) who joins as director.

Bekker has had over 20 years experience servicing leading international brands in London, Europe and Australia. Bekker was managing partner and European marketing director for flagship WPP agency J Walter Thomson London and prior to that Business Director at Saatchi & Saatchi in London and Sydney. She has developed transformational strategy and campaigns for major global brands such as Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Visa, Unilever, Nestle, Debenhams and Qatar Airways. Carmen also led the long-form broadcast content arm JWT Entertainment and worked on UK advertising industry best practice with the IPA in London. Most recently Carmen has split her time between London and Sydney – consulting directly to agencies and select clients.

Announcing her appointment today, Paul Howes, partner in charge, customer, brand & marketing advisory said: “What sets Carmen apart as a leading voice in marketing is the fact she’s been at the top of the game in London and Europe for well over a decade. She brings this expertise back to Australia, and her fresh international perspective is exactly what our clients are wanting.”

“CMO’s and brand leaders have a huge responsibility to consistently deliver and innovate for their organisations in today’s rapidly changing environment. They face challenges from global trends as they navigate the new world, including media transparency, marketing spend accountability, and creating meaningful customer engagement. By leveraging best international practices, and bringing the experiences of our colleagues within KPMG, we will help CMOs and brand leaders gain new perspectives to grow their businesses and brands” said Bekker.

“I will champion diversity within the wider industry with a focus on female leadership, and also on diversity in the work that brands create when marketing to customers. Australia has all the ingredients to be an innovative leader within the global marketing sector, and I look forward to playing a role in this at KPMG,” she added.

Howes concluded: “Our rapid growth since we launched our practice has proven there is increasing demand for new approaches in Australia’s marketing landscape. The launch of a new CMO Advisory practice under Carmen will take our business to the next level as we move into 2018.”