M&C Saatchi Australia group development director Nathalie Brady has been promoted to general manager.

Brady, whose 14 years with M&C Saatchi include a number in the group’s leadership team, will report to CEO Jaimes Leggett in the newly-created role.

As general manager, Brady will oversee the considerable internal operations of the business that employs more than 400 staff in its Sydney and Melbourne offices.

Leggett said the growth and increasing complexity of the group has given rise to the need for a GM.

“Nat has been brilliant at everything she has taken on board over nearly a decade and a half with our business and has long-been an indispensable member of our leadership group.

“We are thrilled she has agreed to bring her almost uncanny understanding of our people and processes to this crucial role. Nat is a gem, we’re lucky to have her.”

Brady joined M&C Saatchi as a senior account manager in May 2000 from JWT London.

She rapidly rose to group account director leading the likes of Vodafone, British Airways, Audi, George Weston Foods, MBF Health Insurance, News Ltd and Sara Lee businesses and a number of Federal Government projects.

In 2008, while continuing to perform her account service duties, she began managing new business within the group, leading pitches and new client transitioning.

During that time she was instrumental in the agency winning a raft of major accounts, most notably CommBank and David Jones.

In 2011 M&C Saatchi ramped up its internal HR capabilities and Brady again changed roles to lead it as group development director.

She has since grown a four-strong team that manage all aspects of staff development, resourcing, training (both internal and external), recruitment and retention during a period that has seen some of the best talent in the industry join M&C Saatchi.

Brady said: “I’m excited to have been given an incredible opportunity to take all that I’ve learned about this business and its people, to help Jaimes and the team navigate it towards such an exciting future.”