GroupM New Zealand is fortifying its strategy and product capabilities with the appointment of Emily Scovell as Chief Strategy Officer and the expansion of Christophe Spencer's role to Chief Product Officer.

The latest appointments are part of the media investment giant's strategic push to enhance its digital and data strategy across its three agencies: EssenceMediacom, Wavemaker and Mindshare.

Scovell, formerly the Chief Media Officer at Stanley St, brings with her a wealth of international expertise and a deep understanding of the GroupM family, its clients, and the local market. Her role, a newly created position, will see her focusing on digital and data strategy across all GroupM agencies. She is set to join GroupM NZ in January 2024.

John Halpin, CEO of GroupM NZ, lauded Scovell's ability to 'connect the dots between strategy, technology, and communication.'

"Emily will operate as the key link between what we think and what we do, working seamlessly across our agencies, and in close partnership with Christophe, to drive the development of GroupM's product and our next era capabilities," he said.

Scovell expressed her excitement about the opportunity. "The opportunity to come back to GroupM and be part of the mission to shape the next era of media at the same time as making advertising better was too good to pass up. GroupM is on an impressive journey in New Zealand, and I’m looking forward to working with John, Christophe and the rest of the formidable team at GroupM in New Zealand to do some amazing work for our clients," she said.

Meanwhile, Spencer's expanded remit includes Data, Technology, Influencers, Performance Media, SEO, Marketing Sciences, and Consultancy. He highlighted the need for a future-focused approach.

"Our industry is constantly evolving, which means we have to have a constant eye on the future and how we show up to ensure that we continue to deliver best in class solutions for our clients," he said. "I’m excited to take on this new role and work with Emily and the team to develop a future-focused product offering at GroupM that delivers what our clients need now, and next."