Bench Media appoints Andrea Samuel as strategy lead

Independent full-service media agency Bench Media has appointed Andrea Samuel as Strategy Lead, expanding its strategic advisory capability. Samuel will connect clients’ business objectives with customer understanding, market insights and media strategy.

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She brings more than 20 years of experience across business, brand and marketing strategy in Australia and Asia-Pacific. Samuel has worked with brands including Samsung, L’Oréal, Ferrero, Abbott, Mondelēz, LVMH and Citi.

Her work has received industry recognition, including at Cannes, and an Effie Award for the inaugural Samsung Galaxy Camera campaign.

Connecting strategy with media investment

Jessica Torstensson, Client Growth Director at Bench Media, said clients increasingly expect agencies to understand the broader business context behind their marketing investment. “Andrea brings an exceptional ability to connect business strategy, customer experience and media in a way that's both data-first and commercially focused,” Torstensson said.

“Her experience strengthens how we partner with clients from the earliest stages of strategic thinking through to execution and measurement, ensuring every recommendation is outcome driven.”

Ori Gold, CEO and Co-Founder of Bench Media, said the appointment reflected the agency’s continued investment in its strategic capabilities. “Bench has never seen its role as simply planning and buying media for clients,” Gold said.

“The best outcomes come from understanding a client’s business challenge, developing a deep understanding of customers, the market and the competitive landscape, and then making smarter media investment decisions.”

Gold said Samuel would help the agency “ask better questions, identify new opportunities and deliver even stronger commercial outcomes” for clients. He also cited her curiosity, strategic thinking and collaborative approach as a strong fit for the business.

Marketers face growing commercial pressure

Samuel said marketers were navigating rapid technological developments, changing customer expectations and pressure to demonstrate market impact. “What attracted me to Bench was its genuinely strategic approach and its ambition to help clients solve business challenges, not just marketing ones,” she said.

“The team has built a strong reputation for combining independent thinking with measurable outcomes, and I'm excited to help further strengthen that proposition.”

The appointment forms part of Bench Media’s broader effort to combine strategy, customer understanding, media investment, data and technology within its client offering.

Top image: Andrea Samuel, Jess Torstensson & Ori Gold