LIDA, M&C Saatchi Australia Group’s customer engagement specialist business, has made a big boost to its talent stocks with the appointment of Victoria Curro to Strategy Partner.

Curro’s 17-year-career has seen her become one of the most acclaimed direct and relationship strategists in Australia with a reputation for innovative thinking and inspirational leadership.

She joins LIDA following four and a half years at independent full-service agency Lavender where she was integral to a number of successful campaigns for key clients.

These included the launch of loyalty programs: IKEA Family and EB World for EB Games, which both quickly amassed high volume memberships.

Curro was also instrumental in the Westpac Black Card initiative that became the bank’s most successful credit card launch and she was a key figure in winning the Telstra Consumer CRM account for Lavender.

Previously she was joint managing director of both McCann Erickson and its CRM arm McCann Relationship Marketing (MRM). Curro was promoted to that role following  two years in charge of MRM when the business became renowned for innovation and acquired 12 new clients.

She started out with a lengthy stint at George Patterson, rising to director of its DM business and was the youngest person ever elected to the agency’s board.

LIDA Australia managing director Christine Gardner called the appointment of Curro a “watershed moment” for the business, which has grown quickly since its Australian launch in June.

“Victoria’s astounding career speaks for itself. She is a world class CRM strategist who has an unequalled track record of success in defining breakthrough B2C and B2B engagement strategies for leading local and global brands,” Gardner said.

“The word ‘excitement’ doesn’t do justice to how we feel having Victoria on board. Her experience and skills are truly unique and her expertise raises the bar again for LIDA.”

M&C Saatchi chief strategy officer Justin Graham said: “Our belief that brands are built through experiences makes the appointment of Victoria a critical hire in our integrated strategy offering.

“With her track record, ambition and shared philosophy, we can’t wait to have Victoria in the building.”

Curro said the opportunity to work for LIDA and the M&C Saatchi Group was simply too good to pass up.

“LIDA has blazed a CRM trail in the UK for many years now and has very quickly become a force in this market under the leadership of Christine and her fantastic team.

“As a Group, M&C Saatchi are making some interesting plays and bringing innovation into the core of their offer. I can’t wait to be part of it all,” said Graham.

Curro is the latest in a major talent injection to the M&C Saatchi Group that includes the appointment of Ogilvy & Mather global planning partner Kate Smither to group strategy director and Amir Mireskandari from Leo Burnett to group operations director.