WPP AUNZ has today announced that it has snared media veteran Sunita Gloster for a newly recreated chief customer officer role to begin in 2019.
Gloster will move over from her current role at PwC’s CMO Advisory. Prior to that, Gloster had been chief strategy officer at Network 10 for a short period where she was recruited from her role as CEO of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA).
The move comes despite WPP’s global CEO, Mark Read, recently declaring a hiring freeze at the world’s biggest media company until the first quarter of 2019.
Her new CCO role will report to WPP AUNZ’s new CEO, but in the interim Gloster will work closely with WPP AUNZ executive director, John Steedman and join the WPP AUNZ leadership team.
Commenting on her WPP move, Gloster said: “It is critical marketing continues to prove and reinforce its efficacy as a driver for sustainable growth. That agenda remains a key challenge and opportunity not only for brands and organisations, but all the players in the media and marketing sectors.
“The spotlight is on WPP to navigate the acceleration in media, communications, customer experience and technology with an approach that meets the evolving needs of the market and enables marketers to deliver growth.
“The opportunity to be one of the architects in the plan that shapes WPP AUNZ for the future is one I couldn’t refuse.”
WPP AUNZ executive director John Steedman said: “Sunita is an exceptional connector of people and opportunity and a catalyst for action. She has a high-level of credibility with our people locally and internationally, our clients and the market,
“Having Sunita focused on and championing our clients’ needs will be beneficial across all our partnerships.”
WPP AUNZ Chairman Robert Mactier added: “Sunita is recognised for her leadership across the industry and has a unique perspective on the evolving needs of our clients through her varied executive experience.
“Critically, she has played a central role in many of the key issues that have shaped the industry in recent years and will sharpen our vision for change and growth by bringing a stronger marketer perspective to our agenda. This role is a critical new piece in how we shape WPP AUNZ.”