Tag: Leader

Sydney, Australia – Market research firm Kantar Australia has recently announced the promotion of Mark Kennedy and Colin MacArthur into the joint role of managing partner, consulting, at Kantar Australia. They will be replacing Dennis Wong who is leaving Kantar after 15 years to pursue his own professional interests.

In their new roles, Kennedy and MacArthur will be leading Kantar’s consulting department together, leveraging the unique set of skills housed within Kantar’s consulting team across its Australia business and clients. 

Prior to his appointment, Kennedy spent his 10 years at Kantar, where he led an extensive portfolio of blue-chip clients in Europe, Asia and the USA, and is respected by his peers and clients for delivering ‘marketing inspiration’ that is simple and actionable, all solidifying his reputation as a strategic leader.

Overall, he possesses 30 years of experience in the design, marketing, and strategy sectors in both client and agency worlds, including global leadership positions at Landor Associates and Blue Marlin Brand Design as well as leadership roles at South African Breweries International and Design Works.

On the other hand, MacArthur has been working in the insight and consulting space of Kantar for over 20 years. Prior to joining Kantar eight years ago, he built his career at Jigsaw Strategic Research and The Leading Edge in Australia, and at Hall & Partners and KPMG Nunwood in the UK. 

MacArthur is also a passionate member of Kantar’s Inclusion, Diversity and Wellbeing Committee and supports not-for-profit organisations on campaigns focused on greater inclusion and diversity and health outcomes for the LGBTGQI+ community. 

Speaking on his appointment, Kennedy said, “I am thrilled and honoured to take on the role of joint Managing Partner for Kantar’s Consulting practice in Australia. The client and consulting landscapes are evolving rapidly, and, alongside Colin, I look forward to bridging these worlds together to drive growth, build connections and shape the future.”

Also commenting on his own appointment, MacArthur added, “In this ongoing period of flux and change in the domestic and global markets that we work in, my excitement of taking on this role with Mark stems from the prospect of bringing my strategic vision, operational expertise, and client-focused approach to drive growth and success for both Kantar and our clients.”

Meanwhile, Jon Foged, managing director for Kantar Australia, mentioned, “I am excited about this partnership as Mark and Colin already have a close and trusted relationship with each other and the wider Kantar team, they have complementary strengths they can amplify together in this role, they are experts that our clients respect, and they are passionate and enthusiastic leaders”.

Australia – Conversational agency VERSA has appointed Jen Cerqualia to the newly created role of client strategy partner. In her new role, Cerqualia will drive VERSA’s digital partnerships, including strategic planning with clients and leading cross-functional teams to optimize business and audience outcomes.

Cerqualia boasts 25 years’ of experience in digital strategy, transformation, management and implementation. She also brings a strong background working in digital management for local, state, and federal government, not-for-profits, and the private sector, and in collaborating with digital agencies on digital products.

She spent fourteen years developing and implementing digital strategy, communications and technology initiatives for the Victorian Government’s Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions and its former Department of State Development, Business, and Innovation, including the Live in Melbourne website for skilled and business migration. Jen has also held strategic digital and communications roles for Victoria Legal Aid, Sustainability Victoria, SA Department of Health, Water Services Association of Australia, and Copeland Publishing. 

Outside her role, Cerqualia volunteers as Digital Delivery Lead for Victoria’s not-for-profit ICT for Women that works to attract, retain, and progress women in STEAM related industries.

On her appointment, Cerqualia said, she was thrilled to be able to contribute to helping clients shape their end-to-end solutions at VERSA. 

“It’s a privilege to be part of VERSA and to be working with so many incredibly talented digital specialists who truly value their clients. I have a passion for enhancing ease of use and accessibility in the digital space to improve the quality of digital experiences for audiences and increase satisfaction and that’s exactly what we do at VERSA,” Cerqualia said.

VERSA’S CEO Kath Blackham, said that Cerqualia’s deep and wide expertise across digital, and particularly working with government, would be invaluable to clients navigating a digital journey. 

“We’re excited to welcome Jen on board and know that our clients and teams will benefit greatly from her strategic influence, digital best practice recommendations and deep understanding of how digital products can be developed to influence audiences in a positive way,” Kath said. 

In a conversation with Ace Gapuz, the chief executive officer at Blogapalooza, she shares her career journey which began as a blogger and creator and then continued as a brand representative. These roles have helped her shape her career into becoming the chief executive officer she is today. 

Ace is a marketing veteran who boasts more than 20 years of experience in influencer marketing. Of what motivated her to pursue influencer marketing, she shares, “I think I was really able to get experience from handling various areas be it on the creator side, brand side, or agency side.”

“Your female energy is always an advantage. Women need to feel powerful because they are female,” Ace adds.

During the conversation with Ace, we asked about her journey as a brand ambassador and a creator, and she shared that “It’s one thing to tell your story as a brand, but that story becomes much richer when other people tell your story for you.”

Meanwhile, Ace also shared that creators and influencers have a strong role to play in terms of having an effect on how people think, what people believe in, and how people will act or decide.

Listen to the full conversation with Ace Gapuz over on Spotify, where Gapuz shares further on what made her decide to join the academe as well her insights about the role of females in the marketing and advertising industry. You can also view the highlights of the conversation on our Youtube channel. 

If you are a marketing or tech leader who wants to share your industry journey and insights, email us at [email protected].