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M&C Saatchi appoints Ogilvy & Mather’s Kate Smither as group strategy director

Kate_SmitherM&C Saatchi has appointed Ogilvy & Mather global planning partner Kate Smither as group strategy director, bringing her back to Australia after four years in London.

Smither’s will report into former Droga5 strategy head Justin Graham, who was poached by M&C to head up the strategy team last December to head up strategy for the group’s ten businesses.

Prior to a four-year stint with Ogilvy & Mather, Smither was head of planning at GPY&R where she worked on the Schweppes account. In the newly-created role she will be responsible for driving strategic leadership across the group, with a major focus on the Commonwealth Bank account.

At Ogilvy she was heavily involved in the creation of the multi-award winning Dove Real Beauty Sketches campaign.

Smither said the opportunity “to work for one of the world’s great agency brands on some iconic Australian businesses was one I didn’t have to think too hard about.”

“There’s a real air of excitement around this agency. They’re doing some really interesting things and it’s a great time to be part of the team.”

Graham said: “M&C Saatchi has built some of the biggest brand platforms in Australia. Leveraging those to touch consumers in memorable and innovative ways are things Kate does better than anyone. She is truly world class and I look forward to learning a great deal from her.”

The appointment follows several new business wins for the agency including WotifCricket AustraliaLexus and NRMA Insurance and a number of new appointments including Leo Burnett operations head Amir Mireskandari as group operations director, Emma-Kate Dobbin as social content director and The Monkeys Ben Cooper as group innovation director.

Miranda Ward

 

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