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PHD hires Chris Stephenson as head of strategy

PHDChrisStephensonMedia agency PHD has significantly added to its strategy firepower with the appointment of Chris Stephenson, who has previously been labelled one of the UK’s six best strategists.  

Stephenson is currently the strategy director for Aegis agency Vizeum in the UK. He joins PHD on November 30, reporting in to managing partner and former boss Mark Holden.

Stephenson and Holden both previously worked at PHD in the UK. Stephenson began his UK planning career with poster specialist Concord before joining PHD’s ideas shop Rocket in 2003.

In his Vizeum role he led strategy across the agency’s Coca Cola portfolio, and also headed up efforts to develop European train operator Eurostar’s drive into social media.

He was judged by a panel of Institute of Practitioners in Advertising judges including BBH founder John Bartle as one of the six best strategists in the UK. He was the only one from a media rather than creative agency.

Holden said: “We are completely delighted to get someone of Chris’s talent back into PHD – he is still the best strategist I have ever had working for me, an exceptional talent. He has a thinking capability that is genuinely unique and fresh. He is going to be an amazing asset for us here in Australia.”

Stephenson said: “I’m excited about the opportunity to pioneer the agency’s strategic thinking in the growing and dynamic Australian market. More than ever before the most effective results are delivered by the newest thinking and the most innovative ideas.”

Stephenson replaces Rachel Nolan who was with PHD since 2005, including its previous existence as Total.

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