Bima hunts new managing director as Bridget Beale plans New Zealand return
Digital marketing membership organisation Bima is to seek a new managing director as its first, Bridget Beale, will move back to New Zealand next year.
Bridget Beale, BIMA managing director
The Drum understands that a new managing director is targeted to be in place by the end of March with Beale finishing mid-February. The search is being led by Bima's co-chairs Natalie Gross and Tarek Nseir.
Beale was installed after an interview process as the organisation’s first managing director in 2014, having previously served as events and marketing manager alongside former chair Adam Graham.
On her departure, the co-chairs told The Drum: “Bridget became Bima's first managing director in 2014. There was a recognition then that we needed someone to champion Bima's expansion, someone who could manage the process of building Bima's profile nationwide and of extending Bima's reach. As she returns to her native New Zealand, we can safely say that it’s a case of ‘mission accomplished.’
“We’d like to thank Bridget for all she’s done for Bima, and wish her every success for the future."
The vacancy for the role is being advertised online with expectations of interviewing applicants early in 2018.
Meanwhile, Bima has announced its newly formed Creative Council for 2018. The council is made up of people from different stages of their careers and its aim is to "highlight and celebrate Britain as an innovative, diverse and open-arms centre for excellence in creativity across the digital industries".
On the council are Helen Fuchs, ustwo; Adam Powers, Tribal Worldwide; Leyya Sattar, MYWW, The Other Box; Kat Hahn, Facebook; Vikesh Amey Bhatt, Amplify; Victoria Buchanan, Tribal Worldwide; Ian Wharton, AKQA; Jenna Walker, Socialyse; Simon Gill, Dentsu Aegis; Jiri Bures, Imagination; Rebecca Rumble, RGA; Steven Bennet-Day, Art&; Lolly Morris, Iris.
Joint chairs for the Creative Council elected by Bima executives are Tristen Pride and Wayne Deakin.
“Instead of filling all the spaces with just top executive creative directors, we set out to have a much broader range of people at all different levels in their careers and from different walks of life. That mix makes for great energy and it feels what the industry should be doing,” said Deakin.
Deakin and Pride say they now intend to bring on board someone at the very start of their career to join the council and put their views forward. The young council member will shadow and be part of the new council going forward and help suggest ideas and initiatives that connect with the next generation of digital creatives.