iris Sydney bolsters management team + appoints Penny Dixon in the role of managing director

iris Sydney has made its second senior appointment of the month with the hire of Penny Dixon as managing director. Dixon (left) will report into the agency’s regional CEO for Asia, Luke Nathans.

Dixon brings a wealth of experience gained over a 15-year period spent at the industry’s most prestigious firms, including M&C Saatchi, DDB Sydney & NZ and JWT. Her biggest accolades include heading up McDonald’s Australia, where the agency won back the lions share of the business and took lead a3gency status; overseeing the successful integration of digital within the agency at JWT; and being appointed as managing partner at M&C, responsible for overseeing the Woolworths Group and Qantas businesses.

At iris, her immediate focus will be bringing her leadership experience in to the agency teams and delivering participation platforms for City of Sydney, Diageo, adidas and Shell.

Says Nathans: “After an exhaustive search, we are very happy to have Penny on board. She is a fantastic talent, who has worked with some of the nation’s biggest agencies and favourite brands. Agencies are only as good as their people, and now with Penny and Spirko joining our team, I think that we’re up there with the very best.”

Says Dixon: “iris is exactly the opportunity I have been looking for. An agency with creative innovation at its core that can deliver new ways for brands to participate in today’s tech-driven world is truly unique and exciting to be a part of. From what I’ve seen so far – and already experienced with clients – the iris creativity is infectious and I can’t wait to get further immersed.”

iris Sydney appointed Mike Spirkovski this month to the newly created role of executive creative director.

Dixon takes over from Simon Porter, who leaves the agency after more than five years to pursue other opportunities – “I’ve enjoyed every moment of the last five and a half years and wish the iris team every success.”

The Sydney business forms a key hub in iris’ expanding network across Asia Pacific, which includes offices in Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Shanghai, New Delhi and Jakarta.