Initiative unveils worldwide board
Initiative Media has created a board to oversee international expansion that involves a partnership with Lowe Howard-Spink and the opening of offices in South America and Asia.
The board is headed by Initiative Worldwide chief executive and chairman Marie-José Forissier. UK representatives are Phil Georgiadis, chief executive of Initiative UK, and Sue Elms, international research director based in London.
Georgiadis’ promotion to the board is described by Forissier as a reward for his restructure of Initiative UK since joining last year. Elms will have responsibility for co-ordinating international research standards and will be promoted to a more “ambitious” role in January.
Next month, Initiative will announce details of a global partnership with LH-S’s new media dependent brand (MW July 7).
The first role of the board is to oversee a rapid expansion in South America, following the opening of Initiative Chile last month. That will be overseen by Sergio Lorca, chief executive of Initiative Iberia.
There are also plans to open offices in Japan, China, Korea and Singapore to add to the media dependent’s offices in Thailand, India and Indonesia.
In the US, Initiative will seek to extend its partnership with Interpublic sister agency Western International Media for the global clients that do not use Initiative’s parent, Ammirati Puris Lintas.
Other board members include Holly Stevens, who will supervise global new business; Pierre-Marie Guiollot, who will have responsibility for special projects such as prog-ramming and barter; and Alain Stephan, managing director of Initiative Technologies.
