Former Optus marketer Michael Smith given global advertising remit with SingTel
Smith
Optus’ former head of marketing Michael Smith has been handed an extended remit to oversee global advertising at parent company SingTel, Mumbrella understands.
The head of global advertising at the telco Grant Watts has left the company as part of a shake-up of the digital marketing department, after just 16-months in the role which he was given when SingTel acquired mobile marketing firm Amobee.
Australian Watts was Amobee’s SVP and managing director at the time of the acquisition in September 2012. Also leaving SingTel are Lydia Ng and Leya Teo from the digital marketing team and Lovey Chin, who was brand director, Mumbrella understands.Smith left Optus for the global opportunity as chief commercial officer for the Group Digital Life in January.
The departures come a year after SingTel restructured into three units consumer, enterprise ICT and Digital L!fe, Watts’ division.
SingTel did not directly confirm Watts’ departure, but said in an email to Mumbrella Asia global advertising is now overseen by Smith.
Also now overseeing SingTel’s global advertising division is former Optus general manager Anthony Shiner, who is six months into his role as head of sales and marketing at Digital L!fe, SingTel said.
According to sources close to SingTel, the Digital L!fe division had not been meeting its sales targets. SingTel did not confirm this.
The company, which said that it “does not share details of employee matters with external parties,” told Mumbrella in a statement: “As part of our efforts to strengthen our core business while growing new digital services, we will continue to grow, develop and review our resources, including our talent pool across the organisation, to meet our business needs.”
Over Watts’ career, he has worked at Yahoo!, MSN, EyeCorp and the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
Good luck and make sure your lease has a ‘diplomatic clause’.
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Why does the headline use the weasel-word “remit”, when you mean “job”?
Or “responsibility”?
Mumbrella as been pretty good so far in avoiding weasel-words used by advertising wankers and wannabes. Don’t let the side down now!
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Hi Mike,
Rather than a weasel word the word remit intends to show it’s an extra responsibility added to his current role – an added remit. As far as we understand that is the case.
Cheers,
Alex, Editor, Mumbrella