Top Ten People Moves

B&T's review of the top ten people moves during 2012

All change at NewsLifeMedia

NewsLifeMedia CEO Sandra Hook parted ways with the magazine publisher in January, to be replaced by Nicole Sheffield (pictured). It was the second top-tier change at the company in as many months, after Kim Williams took over from Peter Macourt as chief executive at the end of 2011.

Sheffield, formerly general manager of XYZ Networks, started at NewsLifeMedia with a bang, cutting jobs and overhauling its executive ranks. She also took charge of news.com.au. Changes in the top ranks since Sheffield’s reign have included Vogue Australia editor Kirstie Clements leaving after 13 years, replaced by former Harper’s Bazaar editor Edwina McCann (swiftly followed by a Vogue relaunch),the departure of lifestyle group editor Mark Kelly and the promotion of GQ Australia editor Nick Smith to publisher of the home and lifestyle group.

Publicis Mojo snares Joe

Ex-Ninemsn head Joe Pollard was picked up by Publicis Mojo in June, following a global hunt by Hourigan International, to replace Graeme Wills as CEO.

Pollard’s first big move was to bring in former Saatchi & Saatchi executive director Steve Anastasiadis to run key accounts including Nestle, Toyota and Frontline and to join the Publicis Worldwide management team. Other changes implemented by Pollard so far have included restructuring the Melbourne office, moving digital duties to Sydney and Brisbane, and appointing former BMF planning director to the same role at Mojo.

Gaines quits Maxus

Maxus chief executive David Gaines announced he was stepping down in August to embark on a new venture – with Edentify. Gaines, who had held the role for three years, was replaced by Aussie Jon Chadwick, who joined from sister agency Mindshare Worldwide’s Oregon office.

Gaines joined forces with Dan Banyard to run research and insights agency Edentify. He said: “It’s become much more of a challenge to actually outline what all that data means, and to separate data-based insights from those purely based on emotion. The opportunity to work with Edentify means for the first time there is a trusted partner to provide genuinely useful context alongside data.”

Seven’s new CEO

Don Voelte took over from David Leckie as CEO of Seven West Media in June, as Leckie moved to be executive director of media at Seven Group Holdings. Voelte, former managing director and CEO of oil and gas company Woodside who was already a director of Seven West Media, immediately embarked on a cost-cutting mission to counter Leckie’s ‘top programming at any cost’ philosophy. He launched a $440m capital raising initiative. Voelte also shook up the senior ranks, appointing Rohan Lund, former CEO of Yahoo!7, to the role of chief operating officer.

In September, the American’s future at Seven was questioned when he took on the non-executive chairmanship of energy company Nexus, but he remains at Seven’s helm.

Coad returns to media

Mark Coad made a return to media, joining PHD Group Australia as chief executive, three years after leaving sister agency OMD. He joined PHD in August, replacing Barry O’Brien, who left to take up the position of chief sales officer at Network Ten. Coad left OMD in 2009 to join adland as CEO of CHE Proximity Melbourne, which was relaunched as CHE Proximity with Chris Howatson at its helm following Coad’s departure.

Unilever’s marketer departs

Peter Boone, head of marketing for Unilever in Australia and New Zealand, handed in his surprise resignation in October, leaving the consumer goods company hunting for a replacement. Boone relocated to Sydney two years ago to head-up Unilever’s local marketing, but is returning to his native Holland at the end of December. Unilever has yet to announce Boone’s replacement.

Facebook loses Borrud 

Facebook Australia and New Zealand chief Paul Borrud made a shock exit from the social media giant in February, after two years at the helm of the regional offices and six years with Facebook. Borrud cited spending time with his family and pursuing personal interests as his reasons for quitting. The Californian was one of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s earliest hirings – and the man he charged with launching the Aussie operation. Facebook has yet to appoint a replacement for Borrud.

Ten’s programming changes hands

After a string of ratings flops, chief programming officer David Mott quit Network Ten in August, after 16 years with the channel. His notice to quit came hot on the heels of one of the worst ratings weeks in Ten’s history, which saw it regularly slip into fourth place behind the ABC for its audience share. Mott’s resignation also came three days after the channel canned its heavily promoted Everybody Dance Now, admitting it had got the format wrong.

In October, Beverley McGarvey was appointed as Mott’s permanent replacement, after filling the role in an interim capacity for two months. McGarvey has been with Ten since 2006, when she joined from TV3 in New Zealand.

Howcroft moves on from GPY&R

And, in further ‘changes at Ten’ news, GPY&R chief executive Russel Howcroft is preparing to up sticks back to his native Melbourne to join Network Ten, following one of adland’s worst-kept secrets. Speculation was rife for months that Howcroft was on the move, but it was finally confirmed by Network Ten in September. Based in Melbourne, Howcroft will be charged with the network’s operations in every major metro market except Sydney. Leaving behind him 24 years in agencies, he will join the broadcaster in the first quarter of 2013.

Lollback joins McDonald’s

Following his shock departure from ANZ after just one year, Mark Lollback surfaced as chief marketing officer for McDonald’s in Australia and New Zealand. Lollback set about shaking up McDonald’s agency partners Down Under, moving the creative portfolio for the McCafe and Family accounts from DDB to Leo Burnett – five years after Maccas consolidated the work with DDB, who had previously shared with with Leos. DDB retained the rest of the account work.

Prior to joining ANZ, Lollback spent 19 years in senior international marketing roles with Unilever.