Full service growth agency PENSO has appointed its first managing director, former SEEK marketing manager Kate Sterling as well as senior strategist Edgar Rouwenhorst as it continues its rapid Australian and international expansion.
Sterling comes to the Melbourne headquartered independent with a strong background in senior leadership and client management roles at creative agencies including DDB, Publicis Mojo, tmk9 and Start Creative. Before joining PENSO she oversaw the marketing activity for leading careers website SEEK.
Also joining the agency in a newly created role is Edgar Rouwenhorst. He previously worked as a marketing strategist at Ogilvy One in Sydney, Melbourne Amsterdam and Brussels. Before the WPP owned agency, he was a management consultant for more than six years working for KPMG and Netherlands-based Boer & Croon Consulting.
PENSO, which was recently named in BRW’s prestigious Fast Starters list, is a cross between a management consultancy, advertising and digital agency. It advises clients including Emirates Group, Business Council of Australia, CUB, IAG and Collingwood Football Club on growth strategies across all areas of their business.
Working alongside founder and CEO Con Frantzeskos, Sterling will manage the agency’s day-today operations including its recently opened office in Dubai, as well as lead new business development and client relationships.
She said: “It’s exciting to work at an agency that’s taking a different approach to solving business issues and delivering real and measurable growth to companies and brands. It’s always good to get into an agency and help shape its direction, especially when it’s on the up, and I’m looking forward working alongside Con and the team as we continue to build something different in the market.”
Rouwenhorst added: “My background in management consultancy and at creatively led agencies works well with how PENSO approaches business. I’m looking forward to working with a diverse range of local and international clients to offer solutions that go beyond traditional advertising.”
Speaking about the appointments, Frantzeskos said: “Having worked with Kate before I know she is exactly what we need as we push ahead with our next phase of growth. We are coming up to our third anniversary and with more than half of our revenues coming from international clients, a new office in Dubai and plans for further expansion, there’s a lot of areas that we were be utilising her considerable skills.
“In Edgar we have a brilliant strategic thinker whose experience is a perfect fit for the way we approach our work. He brings a fresh perspective to the business.”
