Group M installs Steedman to head Australian operations, while COO Ewing departs
Group M’s former Asia-Pacific CEO, John Steedman, has returned to the WPP media agency group in a full time role as Australia’s first chairman and chief executive.
Steedman, who finished his two day a week consulting role for Group M last month, will now work across Mediacom, Mindshare, Mediaedge:cia, Maxus and search marketing agency Outrider.
Mark Patterson Group M Asia-Pacific CEO, said: “Once I’d worked out we needed a very senior, market-respected Australian with the particular style and personality to fit our own business needs and those of our clients it was a no brainer that Steady was the perfect candidate for the job.
“With James Greet in place from June in MindShare we have a fresh and first class group of agency leaders across the board. With Steady leading the team backed by our trading head in Group M, James Parkinson, I truly believe we have the ‘dream team’ of senior management in the Australian market.”
As part of the changes at Group M, Jeff Ewing’s role as Australasian chief operating officer has been made redundant.
Ewing finished up last Friday after just over a year in the role.
He was appointed in November 2008 to replace Raja Kanniappan who moved into the wider role of overseeing the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Steedman announced his retirement as Group M Asia-Pacific CEO in June 2008 and remained as chairman until March 2009.
His chief executive duties were taken up by Hong Kong-based Patterson, who was Group M’s Asia-Pacific chief operating officer.
Steedman’s return to a full time role closely follows another key appointment at a Group M agency, with former OMD boss James Greet due to head up Mindshare Australia in June.
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A very good move
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No mention of jeff ewing.in the “senior management” team
(Mumbrella adds: Now updated…)
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Is Steady now the token Aussie?
Does he now report into Patterson?
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Wonder whether he’ll give his mate Petrpolous a job?
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I guess the boys need someone to organise golf
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More so than any other recent change, this is the one that will make a difference and give the agencies the best possible chance of getting back to what made them successful in the first place.
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