M&C Saatchi’s Re bolsters strategy team with significant hires and promotions
(Pictured L-R: Max Bon de Veire, Olaolu Olorunnimbe, Sonja Kallstrom, Gerald Torto, Dennis Hurley)
Re, M&C Saatchi’s brand and experience design business, has expanded its strategy team in order to support significant organic growth, as well as a number of new business wins throughout 2020. In order to support the increased scope of work, Re has announced two promotions and three new hires to be led by new head of strategy, Sonja Kallstrom.
The enhanced team brings an extensive range of experience and capabilities to the agency, whose key clients include Optus, Commonwealth Bank, Woolworths and Colonial First State.
Kallstrom says of the evolution of the team: “This year we’ve brought together a dynamic team to drive Re’s growing capability in experience design. We handpicked people with skills that complement the agency’s established strengths, such as scaling emerging businesses and adapting to rapid change. It’s been an exciting start for me in my new role.”
Alongside Kollstrom’s promotion, Gerald Torto has been promoted to strategy director, having been with the business since early 2017, acting as lead strategist running and overseeing brand and business transformation programs for clients including Optus, Bare, Ethos Urban, Domain, amongst others.
Joining the duo from outside the business will be senior strategy director, Dennis Hurley who will be leading the Optus account, having previously led the Verizon business for McCann New York; Max Bon de Veire has been appointed as strategy director, moving from Interbrand Sydney where he was previously in a senior strategist role and Olaolu Olorunnimbe, who joins the business as a strategist having previously worked as a social strategist at Ogilvy Australia.
12 Comments
What a bench!
And bravo G. Bloody well deserved.
What a bunch of legends
Question 1. Would they all come to the same conclusion if they were given the same brief?
Question 2: With a large, senior team, how many get the brief?
Question 3: Who makes the final decision if
more than one solution is arrived at – yet another planner?
I give it 6-8 months.
1. Who cares?
2. Who cares?
3. Who cares?
Maybe just celebrate people doing good things and let them run their life however works for them?
House of cards. In every respect.
Toughen up, you clearly aren’t up to it.
And massive congrats to SK, too!
(Didn’t read the article closely enough.)
Hey anonymous commentators: how do you look in the mirror? How does it feel to be pathetic?
Unimpressive creative. Strategy gives the assist, but ultimately it’s the creative that will score the goal.
(All the anonymous white men in the comments can suck a fat one.)
Congrats Sonja and G! Best of the best.
amen