UM appoints Sev Griffiths as national investment director, Maria Grivas as national digital director and James Filmer as chief innovation officer

Mat Baxter, UM CEO has announced three new national management positions that reflect the agency’s rapid growth in investment and digital capabilities.

(Pictured left to right: Sev Griffiths, Maria Grivas and James Filmer)

Says Baxter: “In the final quarter of 2011 we instituted a new operating structure that was built around the central needs and opportunities for our clients into the future,connected to the skills and leadership talent at the agency.

“Since then, three people have been outstanding in their abilities to create and lead real innovation in our business and the new appointments announced today reflect the creativity and results these execs have achieved.”

Sev Griffiths has been appointed UM’s national investment director. Griffiths has been investment director at UM Sydney since November 2011 and in her new role, the investment leads for all UM offices will report to her. Griffiths will work closely with the previous UM national investment director, Victor Corones, who is managing director of MagnaGlobal, the investment and intelligence unit that operates across all MediaBrand’s companies.

Maria Grivas has been appointed UM’s national digital director. She has been digital investment director at UM Sydney since October 2011 and in her new role she will oversee digital resources in all UM offices with a primary focus on further developing digital capabilities. Grivas will report to Sev Griffiths.

James Filmer has been appointed as UM’s chief innovation officer, from his previous role as chief digital officer. Prior to joining UM in November last year Filmer was senior strategy planner with the respected UK agency AKQA. Filmer’s remit now broadens to encompass innovation across all media including traditional.

Filmer will report to UM’s chief strategy officer, Stefan Burford.

The appointments are effective immediately.