Ogilvy PR shakes up corporate leadership team after Jacquie Potter announces departure
Group managing director of Ogilvy PR’s corporate and business practice, Jacquie Potter, is departing after nearly 18 years. In turn, the agency has unveiled a new leadership structure with a number of promotions and new hires.
Potter will leave at the end of March to head up communications at ALDI, replacing outgoing director of communications Adrian Christie.
She joined Ogilvy PR in 2006, and has taken on a number of leadership roles during her tenure – including leading Ogilvy PR Melbourne, taking on the corporate managing director role in 2020, and group MD of corporate last year.
Ogilvy PR’s new leadership team. (L-R): Ant Kelaher, Frances Dwyer, Mitch Henderson and Amy Piek
ALDI’s Christie is set to lead Foxtel’s communications this year, replacing recently departed Jacqui Abbott.
“Jacquie [Potter] has been an incredibly valuable member of our team, being one of our most senior leaders,” said Richard Brett, CEO of Ogilvy PR and Ogilvy Health.
“Her professional approach, strategic vision and leadership abilities will be missed across the business. It feels somewhat bittersweet – while we’ll be farewelling her as a colleague, we will then welcome her as a client. It is a fantastic opportunity for her and she goes with our full blessing.”
Brett continued: “The fact that she’s leaving to join one of Australia’s leading brands also demonstrates how much the market values the skills and experience our team members gain whilst at Ogilvy.
“And while we’re sad to say goodbye to Jacquie, we’re similarly looking forward to developing a new team of leaders and corporate experts using our market-leading approaches, as well as deepening our partnership with ALDI.”
Potter said she’s sad to be leaving the team at Ogilvy, but excited about the new opportunity to work in-house at ALDI.
“I feel very grateful to have built a career in such a supportive and inclusive environment, surrounded by brilliant people and great clients,” she said.
“Getting to turn up to work in an environment that supports, yet challenges you is something I feel lucky to have experienced and I’m so proud of the culture, offering, talent and team we have built at Ogilvy PR. I wish Richard and the team all the success and thank him for his ongoing support and partnership.”
Ant Kelaher, who previously worked in Ogilvy’s corporate practice and returned to the network’s PR agency in 2021, has been promoted to replace Potter as group MD of corporate, while Brian Corrigan, editor-in-chief, will focus on corporate and business content, while also leading the agency’s business influence team.
Edelman’s Frances Dwyer has joined as head of corporate, while Mitch Henderson, former UK-based Meta communications manager, has joined as senior business director.
Meanwhile, Ogilvy PR’s investor relations and financial communications consultancy, Cannings, is welcoming back Luis Garcia, who is returning as senior corporate counsel after retiring from the managing director position last year. The consultancy has also promoted Amy Piek to managing director upon her return from parental leave, and director Will Roberts has moved into the role of senior business director.
Brett said: “In the past 18 months, we’ve launched a number of new specialisms within the corporate sector including business influence, and our successful sustainability practice under Nino Tesoriero’s leadership, both of which have provided clients with a strategic focus on many of the corporate issues, communications challenges and opportunities being faced in the Australian market.
“We will continue to bolster these capabilities with these promotions and new hires, and by having our Ogilvy PR and Cannings corporate teams work even closer together.
“We’re excited about the breadth of talent already within the agency and our ability to promote within, along with this great new talent we’ve added to the team.”
Ogilvy PR has landed six nominations in the upcoming Mumbrella CommsCon Awards, including Best B2C Campaign, Best PR-led Brand Partnership Campaign and PR Agency of the Year – Large.
Strategy director Laura Stoll will be joined onstage at CommsCon next month by sustainability practice lead, chief counsel, Nino Tesoriero, for a session titled ‘What the Communications Industry Needs To Know About Australia’s Clean Energy Future’.
Tickets to CommsCon are available now.
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Lauren McNamara is a journalist at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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