People on the move: hires and departures at Sony, Kantar Worldpanel, Vox.com and more

Co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Amy Pascal is stepping down from her post following the recent cyberattack that took place after the release of the movie The Interview.

Her contract runs out next month, where she will then launch a new production venture at the studio. Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance her venture and retain all distribution rights worldwide to her films.

Kantar Worldpanel

Kirstin Knight has left Sainsbury’s, where she was head of own-brand marketing, to lead Kantar Worldpanel’s grocery retail division.

In the newly created role, Knight will build Kantar’s portfolio of retailer clients and manage the company’s team of specialists informing its consumer and retail research.

Vox.com

Vox.com, of the Vox Media Group, has hired Twitter's head of data Simon Rogers as a contributing editor for the growing news site’s data department.

In this role, Rogers will “develop its data journalism and visualization tools, and the editorial, design, and product teams in expanding the site’s interactive features,” according to a statement released earlier today.

ISBA

Britvic chief executive Simon Litherland has been named ISBA's new president.

Litherland succeeds Coca-Cola GB and Ireland general manager Jon Woods and will chair the ISBA Council.

Interpublic

Global advertising firm Interpublic Group, parent company of agencies including McCann and FCB Inferno, has added three independent directors to its board as part of an agreement with activist hedge fund Elliott Management.

Deborah Ellinger, Henry Miller, and Jonathan Miller will join the board as Jill Considine and Richard Goldstein retire on 1 March

Havas Worldwide

Havas Worldwide New York has appointed Tim Maleeny, Sean Lyons and Matt Weiss as managing partners.

The three will report to global chief executive Andrew Bennett and undertake the day-to-day running of the office in New York while also retaining their three roles as chief strategy officer NY, global chief digital officer, and global chief marketing officer, respectively.

Havas Helia

Havas helia has appointed Ben Silcox to the newly created role of chief data and digital officer and Steven Bennett-Day as executive creative director UK, following the recent launch of Havas helia, formerly Havas EHS and Havas Discovery.

Both Silcox and Bennett-Day will support group chief executive Tash Whitmey and group chief operating officer Matt Fanshawe in the agency’s continued evolution of its structure, operations and client offering.

Proximity London

Proximity London has hired Brian Eagle as head of design and Andy Todd as creative partner.

Eagle, who will join mid-February, will take on a role that the agency has attempted to fill since March last year, joining from The Allotment where he was creative director.

McCann

McCann has appointed Eric Silver as its new regional chief creative officer in North America, following several New York-based additions last year made by Rob Reilly, global creative chairman.

Silver joins from his own agency, Silver+Partners, where he also served as chief creative officer.

Cohn and Wolfe

WPP-owned Cohn and Wolfe has hired Julian Tanner to the newly created role of global technology leader.

Tanner, who was previously chief executive of communications agency AxiCom, will be responsible for leading and driving growth in the PR agency's technology business, reporting to group CEO Donna Imperato.

Based in London, his remit will include cultivating client relationships, while managing teams across the agency’s international network.

Founded

Founded has appointed ex-Y&R New York director Maria McHugh to its team as planning partner, where she will work across the agency’s growing client base and new business.

Having previously held the post of head of planning at both Y&R New York and Fallon NY, McHugh returned to the UK in 2011 and has since been consulting on an independent basis for clients and agencies alike.

Bluemarlin

Former JKR and Brandhouse managing director Mark Gandy has joined Bluemarlin as global brand director.

Tasked with working closely with the Bluemarlin executive team, Gandy is responsible for providing vision and direction to maintain and grow the agency as a leading brand design consultancy worldwide.

Gandy brings 25 years industry experience to the role having worked with brands including Unilever, P&G, Kraft, Diageo and Mars during his career.

Big Communications

Big Communications digital director Matt Butterworth has left the agency after almost two years.

Butterworth, planning and digital partner at the Midlands-headquartered creative agency, was promoted to the role in 2013 not long after joining.

The Partners

Brand consultancy The Partners has appointed Razorfish co-founder Jason Hartley as chief strategy officer to spearhead its offering across the consultancy's London, New York and Singapore offices.

Hartley has recently relocated back to London after 15 years in Amsterdam, where he created Amsterdam’s first media neutral agency in 2005.

Bottle

Communications agency Bottle has appointed Cancer Research UK’s brand and strategic marketing director Natasha Hill to the role of director of consumer and social communications.

Hill joins Bottle as the agency looks to expand its consumer division, which includes AXA PPP healthcare, Golden Wonder, Goodyear, Interflora, Amey and Poundland.

All Response Media

Customer acquisition media agency All Response Media (ARM) has expanded with the appointment of a new accounts team to be based at its Leeds office.

The team will be run by recently appointed group account director Kelly Farrington, who is moving his entire Media Wow business into ARM, where it will trade under the ARM banner.

Immediate Future

Immediate Future has hired Colin Jacobs as director of client services.

Previously at BWP Group, where Jacobs led the teams managing digital and social strategy for a range of key clients including O2 and IKEA, he is set to manage the agency’s delivery and strategic consultancy across all B2B and B2C clients.

Hunterlodge Advertising

Hunterlodge Advertising has appointed Paul Phillips, previously head of strategy at RAPP, as its new head of media.

Phillips will lead a new look media and digital strategy team tasked with driving campaign effectiveness and ROI across all client accounts.

Mearns & Gill

Mearns & Gill has appointed Chris Horrocks as communications director.

An experienced PR ponsultant, Horrocks is a former police officer specialising in crisis communications and emergency response media training.

His appointment coincides with the promotion of Mark McAulay to creative director.

Tangent Snowball

Tangent Snowball has poached Iris’ former group account director Julian Orgill.

He is to join the agency in the same role, and is set to spearhead the digital shop’s Wolesley and Walkers accounts.

ORB

Branding agency ORB has kicked off 2015 with four new hires and a promotion.

Ex-City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra corporate relations manager Anthony Bisseker is to join the Birmingham-based firm as head of business development, whilst Ceri Looker and Kev Kelly will take on the roles of head of creative and head of strategy respectively.

The management team hires are complemented by the appointments of journalist Naeem Alvi as lead copywriter and account manager, and Anna Assinder who brings experience of working with major brands including Boots and Save the Children.

Brightcove

Neil Liberman has been appointed chief marketing officer by cloud service provider Brightcove.

Having most recently served as the chief marketing officer for VFA, Lieberman has held a number of senior level positions at Intralinks, Monitor Company, Lotus Development Corporation and Information Resources.

He will be responsible for driving Brightcove’s worldwide branding and positioning, as well as the company’s corporate marketing and marketing communications strategy.

Next Fifteen

Digital communications group Next Fifteen has hired of Genevieve Shore as non-executive director.

Shore will chair the Remuneration Committee and act as member of the Nomination and Audit Committees of the board.

She has previously held senior leadership roles at Pearson PLC including chief information officer, chief product officer and chief digital officer.

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