GroupM promotes Zac Stephenson to MediaCom NZ MD; Drew DeStantis takes over as IKON MP

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GroupM promotes Zac Stephenson to MediaCom NZ MD; Drew DeStantis takes over as IKON MP

Zac Stephenson has been appointed as managing director of MediaCom New Zealand and Drew DeSantis is to take over as managing partner of IKON.

 

Stephenson and DeSantis will step into their new roles on 01 April 2020 and will both be reporting to GroupM NZ CEO Chris Riley.

Stephenson will be responsible for driving commercial growth, managing key client relationships and the ongoing development of the MediaCom New Zealand team.

He replaces Matt Vogts who has taken up a new role as chief growth officer at MediaCom Australia. As Vogts will remain within the MediaCom network, he will work closely with Stephenson and the wider executive leadership team to ensure the capability of unlocking growth opportunities for MediaCom, as part of his new remit.

Stephenson has a track record of building strong relationships with stakeholders, has confidently led a high-performance workforce and is focused on driving commercial performance. He has been with IKON since 2017 and prior to this spent eight years at OMD.

Says Willie Pang, CEO, MediaCom AUNZ: “I’m excited to be welcoming Zac to the MediaCom family. It’s a privilege to have leadership talent of his calibre developing through our group. Zac will bring tremendous energy, a proven track record in developing high performing teams and building strong client relationships. I’m confident that he will not only build on the momentum that we have but propel us into market leadership.”

Stephenson says he has long admired the MediaCom brand: “Their ‘People First, Better Results’ philosophy resonates very strongly with me, as does their focus on helping clients achieve growth through media. To be given the opportunity to build on the fantastic legacy Matt and his team have created is a great privilege, and I look forward to working with the team and our clients to deliver ongoing success – whilst entrusting the incredible team at Ikon to continue delivering engaging and influential work to their clients. I’m very proud to have led their journey over the last few years and I can’t wait to see what they do next.”

Drew DeSantis who is currently holds a senior position at IKON will be promoted to managing partner.

Says Chris Riley, CEO, GroupM New Zealand: “Zac and Drew are incredible assets to GroupM, and we are excited that they have taken up these exciting opportunities. Supporting talented people like Zac and Drew to progress their careers within the GroupM network strengthens our business, ensures continuity for our clients and means we can deliver clients a competitive advantage in New Zealand.”