M&C Saatchi Melbourne appoints Mike Hyde to head of strategy role; Jayne Brady joins as business and operations director

M&C Saatchi Melbourne has continued its exponential growth, appointing two industry heavyweights amidst the challenges of COVID-19 to form a robust leadership team. Mike Hyde has joined the business in the role of head of strategy, while Jayne Brady has joined as business and operations director.

Having both been appointed in April in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, they will work alongside managing director Michael McEwan and executive creative director Emma Robbins to lead the Melbourne business.

Says McEwan, who joined the business in December 2019: “Emma and I were looking for partners with an entrepreneurial drive and a strong heart. First and foremost, Jayne and Mike are both leaders with incredible experience in building brands with data and media thinking at their core, and they’re also wonderful people. Building a new team and a creative culture in an environment where we’re physically apart has been a challenge like no other. However, COVID-19 has created the conditions for us to do both, and somehow deliver it at a speed I’ve never experienced.”

Whereas COVID-19 has been challenging for the industry, M&C Saatchi Melbourne has grown significantly in 2020, building on its existing partnership with Lexus, while also working closely with the Victorian Government.

Says Robbins: “The four of us are of like-mind, but most importantly, really like and respect each other. Each one of us brings something that compliments the mix. I’ve known and respected Mike’s planning and creative brain for a long time, and Jayne is equally amazing. I feel like I’ve known her forever too, even though I’ve never actually seen her below the shoulders. I’m looking forward to driving and evolving M&C Saatchi’s culture and future with these three for years to come – everyday the agency grows more in some way.”

Hyde will lead the strategy team with over 20 years of experience, joining from Cummins&Partners where he was head of brand strategy. The highly respected and experienced integrated strategic thinker has won multiple effectiveness and creative awards for clients ranging from Four’n Twenty to Schweppes to Public Transport Victoria, Defence Force Recruiting and many more in between.

Says Hyde: “I knew what I was in for with Emma and Michael having worked with them before. There’s a real drive behind what we are doing. With CX, media and connections planning capability in-house, we’re building something special at M&C Saatchi Melbourne and we’re backed by a formidable national team.”

After almost 14 years at AJF Partnership, Brady brings a wealth of experience from her years as a member of the AJF Partnership management team, and leading many of the agency’s high-profile accounts.

Says Brady: “I’m delighted to have joined M&C Saatchi, especially this team in Melbourne. I could never have envisaged a more interesting start to a new role. In a world where we are not physically together, there’s a unique bond across the entire agency team.”