Media Movers: New ELLE Australia editor, ABC appoints Gavin Fang, Initiative promotions, Claxon, Wavemaker

Posted on 11 November 2023

Media Movers takes a look at the recent movements announced across the industry during the week of 6/11/23

Media Movers across the industry include:

• Are Media has announced the appointment of Grace O’Neill as editor of the new ELLE Australia magazine, due to be released in 2024.

A fashion and lifestyle editor, journalist and podcaster, O’Neill will join ELLE Australia this month to oversee the content direction of the magazine ahead of its return to newsstands in March.

• Holly Green is now a journalist and newsreader at 4BC.

• Ally Selby has been promoted to deputy managing editor at Livewire Markets.

• The ABC has appointed Gavin Fang to the position of ABC editorial director, promoted from his current position of deputy director news.

Fang has been a journalist for more than two decades, starting in newspapers in Western Australia before joining the ABC’s Perth newsroom in 2000.

His roles at the ABC have included working as a foreign correspondent based in Jakarta, Indonesia; executive producer in the Asia Pacific News Centre; ABC News planning editor; managing editor coverage; and head network and newsgathering before being promoted to deputy director news in 2022.

• Demeiza Jackson will be Newstalk ZB’s newest political reporter based in its press gallery in 2024.

• Harnsie Joo has finished as the Afternoons executive producer of 2GB.

• The AMAA Board has officially announced the departure of its CEO Josanne Ryan, and the appointment of Patrick Whitnall into the newly created role of managing director.

Over the past three years, the AMAA has worked alongside the industry, to build an industry body in the Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO). The appointment of a new MD is in recognition of the growth of the influencer marketing arena and the plans for the next phase of AiMCO.

• Jenna Lorge has finished as the sub-editor of The CEO Magazine.

• Juha Saarinen has finished his role as the news editor of CRN Australia and the bureau chief of CRN NZ and iTNews NZ.

• Cummins&partners has announced the appointment of Sarah Raine as general manager of the Melbourne office.

Michael McConville, CEO of cummins&partners, welcomed Raine’s appointment – effective next week – highlighting her values, previous work and relationships as “refreshing and inspiring” for the long-term plans of the agency.

• Piotr Wnuk has finished as the news editor of the Printer Media Group.

• Mohamad Youssef is now freelancing as a journalist.

• Ogilvy ANZ has announced the addition of Ant Simmons to their Melbourne team as group creative director.

Simmons comes from Heartland, an independent agency where he held the role of founder. Prior to this, Simmons served as the creative director at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, where he spearheaded integrated campaigns across both traditional and non-traditional formats.

• Claxon has promoted its chief strategy officer, Danny Molyneaux, to the newly created role of general manager, effective immediately.

The promotion marks the commencement of the independent agency’s leadership succession plan, which will see Molyneux continue to work alongside CEO Daniel Willis, with the aim to transition into the CEO role by the end of 2024, with Willis moving onto an executive chairman role at that time, allowing him to focus on global expansion and M&As.

• Initiative has bolstered its planning offering by creating a national head of communications design role and promoting Ryan Haeusler to the position.

The agency’s planning offering is further strengthened by Emma Greenhalgh, who steps into the role of Sydney head of communications design.

• GroupM agency Wavemaker has restructured its marketplace leadership to better deliver outcomes for clients through a future-focused national leadership structure across implementation planning and investment.

Peter Grose, Sydney head of marketplace, has been promoted to national head of marketplace planning, charged with bringing vertical expertise and excellence to implementation planning.