'A natural evolution' – CommBank taps EssenceMediacom’s Pat Crowley to lead paid and owned media

News 20 Jun 2023 - 2 min read

'A natural evolution' – CommBank taps EssenceMediacom’s Pat Crowley to lead paid and owned media

By Arvind Hickman - Editor – Media | Agencies | Consulting

Commbank CMO Jo Boundy and new GM, Paid and Owned Media, Pat Crowley who "will spearhead an evolution in how we go to market, with a service model designed to meet the needs of the Group, our partners and customers," says Boundy.

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Agency veteran Pat Crowley has gone client-side to lead paid and owned media at Commonwealth Bank. Crowley will be charged with enhancing CBA's in-house media division as CMO Jo Boundy rolls out plans to ratchet up owned media. He has an illustrious career leading agencies including Ikon Communications, AKQA Media, Essence and EssenceMediacom – CommBank's media agency. Crowley's move to Commbank, a client he has worked with for more than 20 years, comes weeks after stepping down as EssenceMediacom CEO.

Commonwealth Bank has hired EssenceMediacom’s managing partner Pat Crowley to lead its paid and owned media business.

Crowley has served Commbank agency-side for more than two decades, including at the banking group’s current media agency, EssenceMediacom.

At Commbank, the 25-year industry veteran will be charged with expanding its paid and owned media business in a brief to grow the group’s in-house media division and deepen existing and new customer relationships.

In May, CBA Chief Marketing Officer Jo Boundy revealed ambitious plans to invest in owned media, including the launch of a new magazine, Lighter, created in partnership with News Corp’s commercial content arm. Podcasts, video and web financial and lifestyle content have been planned in future rollout.

“I’m delighted that we have been able to attract the talent, deep knowledge and ability of a person of Pat’s stature,” said Jo Boundy, CBA’s Chief Marketing Officer.

“Pat has worked with us very closely for more than 20 years and has been instrumental in helping to develop and execute on our media strategy over that time. This is further recognition of the strong relationship between CBA and Essence which will continue to develop with Pat’s recruitment.

“In his new role Pat will drive the expanded Paid & Owned team with renewed focus and investment to provide the best possible experience for our current customers and help us attract new people to CBA. He will spearhead an evolution in how we go to market, with a service model designed to meet the needs of the Group, our partners and customers.”

'A natural evolution'

Crowley is a former CEO of the GroupM agency and has previously led the CBA account at AKQA Media and Ikon Communications, where he was also a managing partner.

He served in leadership roles in the merger of AKQA Media with Essence, and then Essence’s union with Mediacom, where he was promoted CEO last year.

Industry rumours swirled around whether Crowley would remain as EssenceMediacom CEO this year until he went “back on the tools” last month when former Reprise APAC boss Pippa Berlocher took over the reins.

Aimee Buchanan, CEO of GroupM, said: “We are thrilled for Pat and glad that we will continue to work with him in his new role. The golden thread that has run through Pat’s agency career has been CBA.

“Stepping over to the client-side is a natural evolution of Pat’s enduring relationship with the Bank and signifies a strengthening of the already close and lasting partnership between CBA and EssenceMediacom,” she said.

“On a personal note, I am incredibly grateful for Pat’s support and friendship over the past 18 months. We will be replacing his role directly, and with Pat, we are recruiting for a senior leader to lead the team and run CBA for us. We look forward to continuing to work together, and delivering breakthrough thinking for CBA.”