James Ray, Chief Executive Officer of Armadillo, has been appointed as the new IPA Chair for England and Wales. He succeeds Richard Aldiss, formerly of McCann Manchester, in the role. As IPA Chair for England & Wales, Ray will act as a figurehead for IPA member agencies in England (outside London) and in Wales, working closely with the team of IPA City Heads to champion the talent in the advertising community and support Josh Krichefski’s People First agenda as IPA President. Ray’s agenda as IPA Chair for England & Wales will be announced in 2025. Since 2022, Ray has served as IPA City Head for Bristol, Cardiff and the South West, providing a voice for IPA members in the area and helping the IPA to support agencies through challenging business conditions.
Iris Worldwide, a creative network, has announced the appointment of Leigh Armstrong as EVP Global Growth and Marketing Director. Armstrong joins from Cheil and CheilConnec+, where she was Director of New Business Development. With a background spanning major networks such as WPP’s JWT, Omnicom’s TBWA, Vivendi’s Havas and Publicis’ Leo Burnett, Armstrong brings with her a wealth of experience in both new business and global client leadership roles across the UK, Europe, Canada, and the US. In her new role, she will be responsible for developing growth strategies that align with Iris’ creative ambitions, working hand-in-hand with leadership to “push boundaries and unlock new opportunities.” Armstrong will work closely with Iris’ creative and strategic teams to “advance the agency’s promise of delivering growth for brands further and faster, through creativity, data-driven media, and the power of people to create cultural moments and embed brands in people’s lives.”
Digital consultancy CreateFuture has announced the appointment of Emma Nicol as its new Chief Operating Officer. Nicol, who brings more than two decades of experience in client service and operations, is the first addition to CreateFuture’s leadership team following its rebrand from xDesign earlier this summer. Previously European COO at Kin+Carta, Nicol was a key member of the Global executive team, where she was instrumental in operational transformation and M&A. Responsible for the operational performance of an 850-person team across six countries, she also managed the integration of multiple acquired businesses during her tenure. At CreateFuture, Nicol will work with Founder and CEO Euan Andrews to execute its ambitious strategic plan and guide the organisation through its next stage of growth. Her responsibilities will include overseeing client delivery, managing operations, and driving business transformation in partnership with consulting and delivery executives.
Reward, a customer engagement and commerce media platform, has recruited James House as Chief Commercial Officer to spearhead value creation across products and services for its banking and retail customers. House has over 25 years’ experience in marketing technology, loyalty, data & insights, working in both independent start-ups and major corporate environments. His previous experience includes founding and selling 5one, an international data analytics and tech company. Most recently, he served as Chief Customer Officer at Trūata, a Mastercard company, overseeing commercial strategy across Financial Services and Retail. Before Trūata, he was part of Mastercard’s global Data & Services team, focusing on data-driven products and the commercialisation of Mastercard data insights within its ecosystem. House will lead the development of Reward’s banking and retail customers and oversee key business functions, including Business Development, Marketing Services, and Product Commercialisation. He will also join the executive committee team.
Performance-driven content agency, Greenpark, has hired Sam Barker as its new Head of Omnichannel Search & Insights to enhance Greenpark’s search expertise in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Barker will oversee all SEO teams and projects across EMEA and the US, reporting directly to Managing Director Chris Pearce. He brings over a decade of experience in search, having most recently helped lead the SEO proposition at Dentsu. His clients have included Asda, Uniqlo, JP Morgan, and Santander.
io.tt, a connected experiences SaaS platform, has announced three additions to its team: Jake Moore as Consultancy Lead, Fabrizio Rinaldi as Head of Connected Solutions, and Tim Haythorne as VP Sales. The hires follow investment from Bain Capital backed Fedrigoni Group. Moore has over 20 years of experience working with data and insight. Most recently, he helped set up and scale the connected pack capabilities at Unilever for all food and ice cream brands. Rinaldi has over 15 years of experience in digital strategy, brand communication, and consumer experiences, most recently leading digital at Versace and Giorgio Armani. Haythorne has 11 years of tenure in the software sales industry, bringing experience from both the early-stage, hyper-growth sector at Eggplant (sold to Keysight Technologies) and also latter-stage, scale-up at Sprinklr.
Philippa Brown, former PHD Worldwide CEO, is joining social commerce start-up I love it, sitting on the board as a Non-executive Director.
Marketing agency Freedom Media Group has expanded its team with the appointment of Gabrielle Pester as Account Director. She will be working directly with clients on expanding current activity and plans, ensuring thorough planning and analysis for clients and exploring further options to help them achieve their objectives to drive growth. Pester joins Freedom Media Group with nine years’ experience at independent, heritage media agencies. She has worked with clients including Visit Orlando, MoneyFarm, Sri Lanka Tourism, Qatar World Cup, GoHenry, Never Fully Dressed, and Getir.
Creative production agency, Transmission, has hired Pete Lee Suer as Senior Producer to help lead the company’s push as it expands its client base and production capabilities. Lee Suer will join the senior leadership team and report to Lee Climpson, Production Director and Founder of Transmission, along with Creative Director Adam Lampard, and Managing Director Matt Buckle. Lee Suer’s specific account responsibilities will include managing relationships with major clients, ensuring the successful execution of their TV and video production projects, and coordinating teams to meet creative and operational goals. Lee Suer has previously worked across brands including McDonalds at Hifen Studios, and Allianz and McLaren at Spirit Studios. As a TV producer, he’s also worked on The Russell Howard Hour for Avalon Entertainment, and David Mitchell’s Outsiders for Wall to Wall.
Bear, a digital commerce agency, has welcomed Mick McCarthy as Chief Design Officer, alongside a rebrand driven by CEO Thomas McCutchen, who took the helm after last year’s merger of Bear Group and Scoutside, where he was Founder and CEO.
