Cummins&Partners appoints Jeff Malone as the agency’s new chief strategy officer

The first piece in a string of soon-to-be-announced senior appointments has been confirmed at Cummins&Partners.

Jeff Malone, formerly in creative strategy client-side at Lion, along with a CV of agency roles in DDB, MullenLowe, TBWA and Ogilvy is the independent agency’s new chief strategy officer.

The US born anthropologist came to Australia to do a major thesis on Australian Culture and clearly found his spiritual home.

Having worked in Boston, India, New Zealand and Sydney before settling in Melbourne, the multi-award-winning strategist brings a unique accent to the Cummins&Partners team.

Says Sean Cummins, founder, Cummins&Partners: “This is the first senior hire I’ve personally done in the agency for a decade. I was blessed to have partners with me for a 10 years and now I had a chance to choose people I feel understand where the new advertising is going.

“When my interview conversation with Jeff changed from where he worked to the sociological theories of Durkheim and Jung…I thought I could impress him with my fancy education.

“But he was just so grounded he indulged me and then proceeded to show his breathtaking common-sense and grasp on consumer behaviour and the role brands need to play in their lives.

“With Jeff and the strategy team he is assembling we have more piercing insights to work with creatively than ever before.”

Says Malone: “As someone who has admired Cummins&Partners for years, I jumped at the chance to be a part of such a great agency and to help shape the offering and culture as the shop kicks off its second decade. Bullshit aside this is a great group of people eager to shake things up. And it’s exciting.”

More senior appointments will be announced in the coming weeks. Malone has already started in the role.