Aussie expat Milla McPhee promoted to head of planning role at adam&eveDDB, London

Aussie expat Milla McPhee, strategy director at adam&eveDDB, arguably London’s hottest agency, has been promoted to head of planning. 

McPhee, who joined the agency in 2016, will manage the day-to-day running of the planning department and continue to lead strategy on key client accounts. She previously worked at Grey London and before that five years at Droga5 in Sydney and later New York.

McPhee graduated from University of Sydney with First Class Honours, and after a short stint learning the planning ropes at Droga5 Sydney, headed to Droga5 New York.

Nick Hirst, who joined the agency in 2014 from Dare, will step up from his current head of planning position to the role of executive strategy director. Hirst, who leads planning on Volkswagen, Aviva and McCain, and along with Alex Hesz, led strategy on the successful European Volkswagen pitch, will drive adam&eveDDB’s core planning and data offering.

Says Hesz, chief strategy officer at adam&eveDDB: “Holding the ‘triple crown’ of planning last year – the IPA Effectiveness Agency of the Year, APG Agency of the year and Effies Agency of the Year – shows the standards we set ourselves; standards that Milla and Nick have helped us establish. They’re smart, kind, progressive, and I am proud to come to work with people like them.”