Initiative Melbourne has announced the appointment of Leon Sammartino (pictured above) to the newly-created position of head of communications design.

Sammartino joins Initiative from Dentsu Mitchell, where he was group client service director. He is a 17-year veteran of the Melbourne media market with extensive experience across the automotive, finance, FMCG and retail sectors.

Sammartino has recently led account management and strategy development on major accounts including Renault Australia, Home Hardware and Dr Oetker.

Sammartino’s key roles for Initiative Melbourne will be to help lead the connectivity between people and brands across the full communications ecosystem, thought leadership and new tools for channel planning, as well as developing up-to-date training for agency executives in channel planning fundamentals and their evolution.

He will also be a member of Initiative Melbourne management team.

Initiative Melbourne managing director Shaun Briggs said Sammartino’s skills were an ideal fit for the agency’s future.

“Leon is an evidence-based planner with a belief that solutions are born out of a deep understanding of the audience, the market and culture in which the brand operates,” he said.