WPP AUNZ appoints Toby Hemming as first head of communications and marketing

WPP AUNZ has hired Toby Hemming, founder of Bold Media which closed last month, as its first head of communications and marketing.

In the new role, Hemming told Mumbrella he would be working above the existing network of communications professionals at WPP and helping spread the word of CEO Jens Monsees’ transformation plan.

“The remit of the role is to look after marketing communications internally and externally for WPP. Jens has spoken to the market about the strategy he has in terms of transformation and [this role] is really very much working to support that vision and making sure that investors, clients, staff and the wider market are involved in the journey,” Hemming told Mumbrella.

Hemming will work closely with Monsees, leading internal and external comms across the holding group, as well as marketing programs. He brings more than two decades of experience to the position and has previously held roles such as head of comms for News Digital Media. Monsees said it was an important hire for the business.

“We are proud to appoint a leader of Toby’s calibre into the business, complementing our ongoing strategy of focusing on creativity empowered by tech,” he said.

“His entrepreneurial abilities, commercial strategy and digital communication experience will be a core part of WPP AUNZ’s ongoing success.”

WPP AUNZ is currently on a hiring freeze, but Monsees has been open about his intention to continue investment in key roles that will help the business throughout its transformation process. Those roles include strategic and digital roles, Mumbrella understands.

Hemming said the role was “the most exciting and dynamic role in the market at the moment” and that it had come to him at an opportune moment in his career.

“It’s a great opportunity. I’ve obviously been running my own business for a while and I made a decision to close that and scale down, which I was already in the process of doing when this opportunity came up,” he said.

“It’s combining all the other things I’ve done in my career all put together in one place. When [WPP] talked to me about it I was like, ‘wow, that’s clearly made for me’. It’s good, I’m really happy. They’re a great bunch of guys, really good people.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to collaborate with such inspiring brands and leaders, to bring the company’s vision and direction to life,” said Hemming.

The current WPP corporate communication and marketing team will report into Hemming, with the wider agency comms teams continuing to report to their current business leads.