Dentsu Creative appoints Tim Powell to the newly created role of chief PR officer, Australia + NZ

Dentsu’s Creative business continues to bolster its executive line up with the announcement Tim Powell has been promoted to chief PR officer, Australia and New Zealand. This is a new role for the business.

Says Kirsty Muddle, Dentsu Creative, CEO Australia and New Zealand said the remit of the new chief PR officer role was to drive deeper connections across dentsu’s capability and clients and ensure dentsu’s social, influencer marketing, PR and behaviour change offer is world class.

Says Muddle: “We are in the business of transforming brands, businesses, and society through the power of creativity. PR is both the oldest and the most modern force in communication and, an important power for us. Tim is a highly experienced and respected person in the PR industry, and he will lead the charge of ensuring PR is an integrated part of our solutions for both clients and for the world.”

Dentsu has a strong PR offer from past acquisitions of Haystac dentsu (social, influencer engagement and consumer PR) Cox Inall (corporate, government and NFP business) and a minority share in First Nation’s business Cox Inall Ridgeway.

Says Powell: “The task is to elevate this capability to the next level as part of an integrated dentsu offer across ANZ and create new opportunities for our 70 plus staff in the PR business.

“Angela Tangas and Kirsty have brought some incredible people into our business in the past few months. Having a chief PRO at the table with the likes of our chief strategy officer David Halter, chief client officer Gayle While and the CEO of Dentsu solutions Chris Bower, and with our ECD Marcus Tesoriero, has made an immediate difference to our business and our thinking.

“While creativity is at our core, clients are increasingly requiring deep thinking on reputation and regulatory risk, long term sustainability and making a real difference to the planet and people is baked into every idea. It’s part of us, as a business, knowing people better than anyone else and evolving our product as a result.”

Powell has 30 years’ experience in journalism, politics, corporate affairs, and PR and joined dentsu as part of the BWM integration. He sits on the Board of the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence and has a deep interest in sustainability.

The creation of the CPRO role is another step in dentsu’s transformation to be the most integrated network in the world.