Ben joins Australia’s Account Planning Group
SYDNEY (26th Feb 2019) — Ben Hourahine, Partner / Strategy Partner at AnalogFolk and Kate Smither, Chief Strategy Integration Officer at Publicis Communications, have been appointed co-chairs of the Communications Council’s Account Planning Group (APG). Kate and Ben take on the role from Angela Morris, Chief Strategy Officer at J.Walter Thompson, who steps down after 3 years leading the APG.
Smither, committee member, speaker and teacher at both APG UK and Australia, said: “It’s a real honour to be named Chair of the APG. The APG has an exciting commitment to the value of creative strategy to solve business problems and transform brands. Creating a culture of thought provoking events, effectiveness, training and mentorship for planners in every discipline is a big challenge and I’m looking forward to working with Ben to guide it”
Hourahine, long time APG representative and Effies judge added “It’s a big privilege to be stepping into the Chair role with Kate. We’ve known each for a long time and are really passionate about the role planning plays in creating inspiring work for brands. Given the amount of activity the APG undertakes working together on this is a no-brainer. We also feel it gives the APG great representation across the network and independent agency spectrum. We are really excited to get started”.
“We’d also like to say a big thanks to Angela for her significant and ongoing contribution to planning and the industry as a whole. She has done a fantastic job as Chair and we can’t wait to take that forward into the future” he added.
Powered by The Communications Council, the APG is a non-political, non-profit organisation that aims to set standards of strategic excellence, promote creative thinking in the business arena, and provide planners and strategists with the tools and inspiration they need to be bold and rigorous thinkers.
Tony Hale, The Communications Council CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kate and Ben as our new APG Chairs. They are both highly respected and innovative leaders who are recognised in the industry for both their creativity and effectiveness, plus are fantastic mentors for up-and-coming planners.”
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Angela for continuing the APG culture of inspiring and mentoring our industry’s brightest minds. We wish her all the best.”
Originally published at analogfolk.com.
