Ogilvy PR has promoted Miriam Wells to chief creative officer and Nina East joins Ogilvy Health in the newly created role of group creative director.

Wells (above left), who was previously head of creative at Ogilvy PR, will also play a pivotal role in Ogilvy PR’s Earned Creativity mantra – an integrated, earned-led approach to ideas across social, influencer marketing and earned-generating advertising.  She will work closely with Liana Rossi (head of culture and influence), Cody Desmond (culture editor) and Dom O’Connell (design director) to develop earned-led integrated campaigns for Ogilvy PR.

East (above right) joins Ogilvy Health from Ogilvy New Zealand where she was group creative director. Her job will cover integrated advertising, medical education, public relations, public affairs and health experience, delivering health solutions, education and patient advocacy. 

Richard Brett, chief executive officer of Ogilvy PR and Ogilvy Health, commented, “We’ve brought new ambition to the creativity of the Ogilvy PR and Ogilvy Health businesses over the past few years, and it’s an approach that has resulted in innovative work and effective results for our entire client base,” he said. “It has also led to the strong development of creative thinking at all levels, and we’re proud to utilise the creative smarts already within our network for these positions.  There’s incredible depth and an array of unique experience within the Ogilvy Network, and we’re excited to have both Miriam and Nina add their expertise in new ways, while still providing them with opportunities to further develop their passion and specialisations.

East has a diverse background working in media, advertising, and experiential sectors and has delivered award-winning global campaigns for some of the world’s most loved brands. East started out as creative at MTV Europe before moving into the advertising world working for Viacom International. Since returning to New Zealand, she has worked for leading agencies Copper, Wunderman Thompson and most recently, Ogilvy New Zealand where she has been for the past two years.

“As we look to develop new-generation leadership, it is important to have creative approaches that are built from varied experiences and backgrounds,” Brett continued.  “Both Miriam and Nina bring fresh perspectives and new ways of thinking that will continue to provide innovative consultancy solutions.”

The Ogilvy Network ANZ has significantly bolstered its creative firepower in recent times. It recently announced that international talent Clark Edwards would join Bridget Jung in a newly developed joint Ogilvy Sydney executive creative director role (Jung will continue to oversee creative direction of Ogilvy PR and Ogilvy Health) while awarded creative and author Hilary Badger was hired as Ogilvy Melbourne’s new executive creative director in January. Kristal Knight also joined Ogilvy New Zealand as executive creative director in February 2022, shortly after Toby Talbot was announced as the Network’s chief creative officer.

Talbot said the Ogilvy AUNZ network’s creative leadership was now “unparalleled in its depth of diverse talent and innovative thinking”.

“We’ve invested significant time and effort finding the right creative leaders who not only play well together but also understand the power of borderless creativity right across our capability ecosystem. Whether it’s PR, health, brand, CX, digital or consulting, we can apply creative thinking to any client brief, any brand or any issue that requires a shift in behaviour.  I’m incredibly proud of my new ECD team. And stoked to add two incredible specialists in Miriam and Nina to complete the offering. There’s literally nothing we can’t do together.”