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| Date | News Item |  BACK
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29/04/2008 | Simpson quits Starcom to head digital at OMD Group | Media Week, Andrew McCormick |
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LONDON - OMD has poached Starcom's Matt Simpson to lead its digital operations across the entire OMD Group. Simpson, previously Starcom's director of digital communications EMEA, has been appointed head of OMD Group Digital, where he will control digital activity at OMD UK, Manning Gottlieb OMD and OMD International. He will lead teams that cross display, paid search, natural search and affiliate marketing. Simpson will report to Steve Williams, chief executive of OMD Group UK, who explained why the position had not been filled since Amy Lennox left to become a founding partner in digital and direct agency Trinity Communications last summer. "We've been looking to fill this position for some time," said Williams. "In the world of digital, it's important to appoint the right person and not simply fill the position in the quickest time. Simpson brings an outside view that should lead to us pushing the game on in digital." Simpson gained digital experience largely at Starcom, the Publicis Groupe agency he joined in 1999. He became head of Starcom Digital in May 2004. In May 2007, he moved up to become director of digital communications across EMEA. Simpson's appointment adds weight to Williams' assertion that OMD's parent, Omnicom, is continually investing in "firepower" in the digital arena. This time last year, Simpson's ex-colleague at Starcom, Martin Shaw, joined OMD UK as head of digital. He continues to head the agency's digital efforts, while Simpson fills the group-wide role. |