New management roles announced for Grant Millar and Mark Howley

ZenithOptimedia has unveiled a series of senior promotions in the UK as part of the network’s programme to drive business growth and enhance communications solutions for clients.

Grant Millar, currently UK CEO, will take up the newly created position of chief client officer and will join ZenithOptimedia Worldwide. Reporting to Belinda Rowe, global managing partner and UK chairman, Grant will take lead responsibility for RB and will work alongside ZenithOptimedia’s global leaders to help drive global growth. Mark Howley steps up from managing director, ZenithOptimedia UK, to become UK CEO, taking charge of a new leadership team.

Grant was appointed CEO, ZenithOptimedia UK in January 2015 and over this year has led agency growth, which has seen account wins including Coty, Harvey Nichols, Uniqlo, Singapore Airlines and further BBC Worldwide assignments. Grant has considerable experience in managing global clients. Before joining ZenithOptimedia, he was president, global clients, at Dentsu Aegis, where he was responsible for major accounts, such as Mondelez (including Cadbury) and MasterCard, following the successful pitch in 2014, which he led.

Also reporting to Belinda Rowe, Mark Howley will take control of the strategic direction of the UK agency, building ZenithOptimedia’s Live ROI! approach to communications and driving integrated working across the group of companies.

Mark is joined by Natalie Cummins, who has been promoted from managing director, Zenith UK to managing director, ZenithOptimedia UK. The lead role of Zenith UK is being filled by Simon Fuller, who is promoted from client partner to managing director. Rob Gold has been elevated from client partner to managing director of Optimedia UK.

All of these promotions reflect ZenithOptimedia’s investment in the agency’s leading talent. Mark Howley joined ZenithOptimedia in 2000 as business director and was promoted to managing partner and a member of the ZenithOptimedia board four years later. He went on to become head of planning, before being promoted to managing director of Optimedia UK in 2010 and then managing director, ZenithOptimedia UK in 2013.

Natalie Cummins started her career at Zenith, and after stints at Rapier, Starcom and BLM, took up the role of business director at Optimedia in 2006, working with clients such as BA, L’Oreal, and Molson Coors. She was promoted to managing director, Optimedia UK in 2013. Simon Fuller joined ZenithOptimedia in January 2014 as one of the key client leads. Rob Gold joined the planning team at ZenithOptimedia in 2007 from BMW’s marketing department, and has worked on a range of clients at the agency, most recently Molson Coors and Omega Pharma.

Belinda Rowe, global managing partner and UK chairman, says, “Driving business growth is a primary focus for ZenithOptimedia and these promotions are part of this global programme. I am absolutely delighted that Grant is able to build on his success at ZenithOptimedia UK by taking on this critical role in Worldwide. Mark’s promotion to UK CEO is also richly deserved. He has done fantastic work over the past couple of years building relationships with clients such as Aviva and Nestlé and taking charge of the operational running of the business.”

Grant Millar, chief client officer, says, “I am thrilled to be taking on this key client role within the network. I am looking forward to collaborating with our various leaders around the world to help drive growth for both our clients and for ZenithOptimedia.”

Mark Howley, CEO, ZenithOptimedia UK, says, “There is amazing spirit and momentum across the ZenithOptimedia group of companies in the UK and I am hugely excited about working with our leaders to really develop our product and drive business growth. I am delighted that Natalie Cummins, Simon Fuller and Rob Gold will all be part of our new management team.”