Ian Perrin emerges as boss of Zenith Optimedia

Ian Perrin, the former MD of Naked Communications whose departure was announced last week, has emerged as the boss of struggling media agency Zenith Optimedia.

Perrin, who starts on 28 November, fills the top job left vacant since the departure of Belinda Rowe to a global Zenith role in 2009. He duties include responsibility for the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland offices.

Regional CEO Phil Talbot has been running the agency in the interim with Mark Kennedy, the MD of VivaKi Exchange, Publicis Groupe’s central buying unit.

Perrin said he was excited to be taking on a role working at an agency that has “without doubt, the most exciting client list of any media agency in Australia.” Zenith’s clients include Nestle, L’Oreal, News Ltd, Lexus and Qantas, an account it is currently defending.