Mark Palmer, the head of communications strategy at BMP OMD, has
restructured the agency’s planning and strategic departments to refocus
the agency on its planning credentials.
Palmer, who is stepping back from the day to day running of the two
departments, has appointed Sarah Bussey, the former media strategy
director, deputy head of communications strategy. She will continue to
run the strategic group but also oversee the agency’s planning
functions.
Niall Hegarty, a media strategy director at BMP OMD, has been promoted
to commercial development director. He will be responsible for business
management as well as taking over the commercial running of the
business, ensuring that the agency’s specialist arms such as Optimum
Action (direct media) and Optimum View (sponsorship) are integrated into
the agency’s client services.
Palmer, who likened his new role to that of a creative director, said:
’My role will be focused almost exclusively on communication planning
and strategic issues. We need to look at integrated communication
planning, which is a core skill. The whole point is to heighten the
skills we offer and the way we work in an integrated team.’
The promotion of Bussey and Hegarty is the final part of Palmer’s
restructuring of the strategic and planning credentials of the
agency.
In June he brought together the planning and research functions by
appointing Jo Foster director of strategy and research (Campaign, 18
June). He also appointed Harriet Frost head of communications futures,
responsible for working with client planning teams on specific
projects.
Last year the agency launched Optimum View to help clients exploit the
changing broadcast media environment, and in May it launched Optimum
Action in a joint venture with the direct marketing agency, WWAV Rapp
Collins.
