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FutureBrand Australia appoints General Manager & Head of Strategy

Announcement posted by Pilot PR 14 Jul 2021

FutureBrand Australia has promoted four team members to newly-created roles on the back of strong growth, including a General Manager and Head of Strategy. The appointments coincide with the first anniversary of Rich Curtis buying the business from Interpublic Group in July 2020.

Group Account Director Christina Kokkinakis has been appointed General Manager; Strategy Director Victoria Berry has been promoted to Head of Strategy; Account Manager Emma Waterman has stepped into a Strategist role and Senior Designer Peter Borg moves up to Design Director.

On the appointments, FutureBrand Australia CEO Rich Curtis said: “These promotions for Christina, Victoria, Emma and Peter are very much a mark of their contribution to FutureBrand Australia’s success over the past 12 months. And more recently, a reflection of a number of new business wins including Yalumba, Yarra Valley Water, Beijing Daxing International Airport and several confidential projects in the finance and healthcare sectors across brand strategy, identity and experience. All in all, it’s been a big year for us and I’m very happy to see our success captured in the results of our latest client survey, headlined by a Net Promoter Score of +74.

“When I bought FutureBrand last year, I said one of my priorities was investing locally and deepening our commitment to the local market. These promotions are one example of how we are doing this, together with the continuing evolution of our strategic and CX offers to clients, as well as our commitment to a progressive and motivating employee experience. I’m excited about the next 12 months.”

Christina Kokkinakis joined FutureBrand in early 2018 from SouthSouthWest. Since then she has led work for clients including Guide Dogs Australia, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, New Zealand Natural, Orygen and Vocus. In her new role, Christina will be responsible for spearheading FutureBrand Australia’s client-facing operations and brand management capabilities. 

Victoria Berry joined FutureBrand in 2008 at FutureBrand New York. She moved to the Australian team in 2012 and has since led strategy for clients including Air Tahiti Nui, Entertainment, Guide Dogs Australia and Flight Centre Travel Group, among others. Victoria will lead Futurebrand Australia’s strategic capabilities and continue to evolve the Australian team’s bespoke strategy offering. Strategist Emma Waterman has been with FutureBrand for more than two years and will report into Victoria, bolstering the strategy team and its capability.

Design Director Peter Borg joined FutureBrand in January 2020 and has already contributed to FutureBrand Australia’s award-winning work, including Football Marketing Asia, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre and Entertainment. 

General Manager Christina Kokkinakis said: “I feel very fortunate to be part of a team that believes in the power of collaboration and where we all feel invested in the success of this business – truly a rare find! I look forward to continuing to work side-by-side with our talented team and ambitious clients to build meaningful brands and deliver great work that helps them grow.”

On her new role, Head of Strategy Victoria Berry commented: “I'm thrilled to be stepping up and helping FutureBrand Australia grow further. I’ve always been passionate about delivering rigorous yet simple strategic solutions, and I’m looking forward to exploring new ways to impact change and, together with our team, helping our clients’ brands and businesses grow too.”

Rich Curtis bought FutureBrand Australia from Interpublic Group in July 2020, making it his independent agency with the network and resources of FutureBrand global.

Since then the local team has launched new brands for Guide Dogs Australia, New Zealand Natural, MyFavorito, Vocus and Orygen, among others. 

Rich continued: “I also see these promotions as a sound investment in the future of the business, as we challenge and inspire our people to continue to grow, as well as reward them for it. In my time, I’ve seen companies make the mistake of looking at their people’s performance in the rear-view mirror, by which time it’s too late. Our approach is part of a broader strategy to champion the strength of our people and our culture, with a focus on growth, learning and wellness.”

The appointments are effective immediately.