DDB NZ bolsters strategy department with new hires Vanisha Narsey, Tom Sykes and Haley Horton

DDB NZ has today announced the addition to its planning team of three new faces, bringing with them a wealth of strategic firepower.

Vanisha Narsey (left) joins the agency as a planner, having worked most recently at TRA where she spent almost five years as a senior consultant and client service lead, after completing her doctorate in Philosophy at The University of Auckland. She brings with her experience providing powerful insights informing the business challenges and opportunities of some of New Zealand’s leading brands including Air New Zealand, Spark, Lotto NZ, Mercury, and Fonterra Brands.

Narsey says she’s excited to be joining a creative agency for the first time, where the research and insights rubber meets the ideation and production road: “I’ve long admired DDB’s creative in tapping into human truths and I’m really excited about being able to contribute to an already strong agency.”

Also joining the team is Tom Sykes (centre), a brand, marketing and digital strategist, with more than eight years’ experience working in both specialist and integrated roles.

Sykes comes to DDB highly recommended from Saatchi’s NZ, and King James Group in South Africa. Having helped drive growth across multiple markets to a range of clients, Sykes brings a keen focus on brilliant customer insights to help create work that works.

Says Sykes: “There’s a really strong focus on insight-led creative at DDB and it shows. I’ve admired the work coming out of DDB NZ for a long time and I’m keen to play my part in shaping some of that myself.”

Further bolstering the agency’s strategic team is Haley Horton (right), who takes up the position of cultural strategist.

Having completed her social anthropology degree, Haley worked most recently as product specialist at Tesla. Haley brings with her experience in management, team building, event management and more.

Says Horton: “It’s an exciting time in our industry with so much changing in the way people connect with each other and ideas, so I am really looking forward to bringing my cultural insight to my new position at DDB.”

Rupert Price, DDB NZ chief strategy officer, says the agency has always prided itself on powerful strategy leading to great work that drives business growth, and these appointments will further enhance that capability.

Says Price: “Insights are at the heart of any great strategy, and with Vanisha, Tom, and Haley joining our team our insights are only going to get stronger.”