Initiative Melbourne has appointed Steph O’Donnell as head of investment, joining Melbourne’s Senior Leadership Team and reporting directly to chief Partnerships & Investment officer Paige Wheaton.
O’Donnell will be tasked with crafting and leading the investment product across the entire investment ecosystem, leveraging the agency’s strengths and products to create value for clients.
Wheaton welcomed O’Donnell’s appointment and said that as the agency’s investment products continue to evolve to meet market demand, it was imperative that Initiative sought talent with a unique balance of technical investment capability coupled with a strategic mindset.
Wheaton said: “We have found that in Steph, her market reputation reflects our desire to hire the best talent in market. Steph is already an established leader; the depth and breadth of her media partnerships are legendary, and her passion and genuine desire to produce unique and best-in-class work sets us up for success in driving Initiative’s investment product into the future.
“Steph will be a critical partner to me, and her strategic acumen and counsel will undoubtedly play a pivotal role on our senior leadership team.”
O’Donnell, who was previously VIC group investment director at Carat, has ten years of experience in media investment, having held senior roles at Spark Foundry across both Sydney and Melbourne, and before that, Match Media and Starcom.
O’Donnell said she was looking forward to joining the agency at a transformative time and working alongside Wheaton and MD Sarah James.
She said of the Initiative Melbourne team: “They are an ambitious team with a hunger to lead the market in product and processes and are poised to take advantage of Melbourne’s burgeoning market.
“I’m excited to develop Melbourne’s investment team and our product and at the same time elevating our media partnerships and producing outstanding client campaigns. It’s an exciting time to join the agency,” O’Donnell added.
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Top image: Steph O’Donnell