Author: admin

Building McCain’s brand presence in Australia and New Zealand across an ever-growing range of potatoes, vegetables, pizzas, appetizers and ready-meals is the key priority for its local managing director, Lyn Radford. But what consumers want next is in her sights. As the former Chobani boss works to refresh the privately-owned FMCG’s strategy eight months into her tenure – all while supporting declining guest counts in QSR channels – she’s also brought onboard the first local marketing director of growth, Olivia Dickinson, to help plan the future. Dickinson’s not the only former colleague doing it again at McCain.

The job market for marketers has come full circle: talent is no longer in the driver’s seat; employers have regained the upper hand. Meanwhile, remits are so complex and commercial, and recruitment so conservative, it’s a tough ask for those looking to switch categories or who don’t have a solid grasp of the commercials and full 4Ps of marketing, say Hourigan International’s Stuart Tucker and Perceptor’s Mark O’Connor. The good news is salaries are holding and employers are keen to keep hiring strategic and creative marketers – if they can prove their value. But for the top roles, the competition is unusually fierce – and there’s more senior talent heading back from overseas.

Former Coles and Tourism Australia CMO Lisa Ronson is returning to Australia’s marketing leadership ranks, taking the reins at Medibank with a remit to enhance customer engagement and drive growth. It’s going to be a meaty one for the experienced marketing chief, as the ASX-listed health insurance giant battles legal action for its 2022 data breach and has hard yards ahead to re-establish brand credentials and trust with customers.