SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Apparent has appointed Simon Pugh as Chief Media Officer to lead and grow the full-service independent agency’s media offering in Australia and internationally.
With a global perspective, a proven track record as a business builder and transformation leader, and deep experience in media and marketing, Simon has held senior leadership positions across Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, and Dentsu in Sydney, New York, and San Francisco.
Prior to joining Apparent, Simon helped establish the newly formed EssenceMediacom agency in Australia as Chief Client Officer. He has worked with startups as well as international brands including Square, Microsoft, Diageo, and The Coca-Cola Company.
Simon said, “I was drawn to Apparent because it’s an agency focused on solving complex client problems through the integration of media, creativity, data, and technology. Importantly, these are deep specialisms that currently all exist within the agency, not typical across today’s Australian agency landscape. In a world where clients need help to design and operationalize their future-focused marketing capabilities, I really believe our integrated, agile, and tech-focused model is a differentiator. From my very first conversations with Phil and Suzy, I was impressed by the culture of the agency and its singular focus on delivering business impact for clients.”
Suzy Smiley, managing director at Apparent, added, “We’re delighted to welcome Simon to Apparent’s leadership team. His considerable experience working with major brands at some of the most recognized and awarded agencies will help accelerate our media and marketing capabilities. We continue to attract top talent to Apparent that helps drive our clients’ businesses and expand our global footprint.”
Simon is the latest senior appointment at Apparent, one of the largest full-service independent agencies in Australia. Jason Hill joined the agency in December as Chief Strategy Officer, a newly created role.
