MindShare has created the role of marketing director as it prepares
to open its doors at the beginning of next year, with the appointment of
Janine Abrahams, group media director on Nestle.
Abrahams, who has been with J. Walter Thompson since 1983, will be
responsible for shaping and raising MindShare’s profile as well as
aggressively pursuing new business. Reporting to her will be Sean
Beynon, the marketing manager of JWT, who has been appointed business
development manager.
Mandy Pooler, the managing director of MindShare, said: ’Janine has got
the media context but has this wonderful creative and lateral approach
to life. She will be in charge of corporate identity, PR and all the
marketing efforts.’ She added that the appointment of both a marketing
director and new-business manager was unusual in media but underlined
the shop’s commitment to an aggressive new-business stance.
Bill Barker, the head of broadcast at JWT, is to take over Abrahams’
role as account director on Nestle.
Pooler denied that this appointment was a step down. ’It’s one of the
big three accounts and it’s an extension of his management skills. I
want to broaden him out from TV because he’s more than capable.’
MindShare has yet to announce a new broadcast director, but it is
understood that Pooler is still looking at the possibility of splitting
TV and radio into separate group head roles.
Bill Kinlay, director of the Network, is likely to become commercial
director of MindShare.
