Lee Leggett joins Initiative in national CEO role; Andrew Livingston set to take new COO role

IPG Mediabrands executive chairman Henry Tajer has announced the appointment of Lee Leggett (left) as the chief executive officer of Initiative Australia, with current CEO Andrew Livingston taking the new role of national chief operating officer.

Leggett is the former CEO of one of the UK’s dominant creative communications companies, Dare. In the past few years Dare has become a centre of attention in its industry. The agency was awarded Digital Agency of the Decade by Campaign magazine, recognised by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies and was awarded Effectiveness Agency of the Year by the UK’s peak industry body, the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising.

Leggett has vast agency management experience and has led top class client portfolios including Sainsburys, Sony, Coca-Cola, Vodafone and Diageo. She joins Initiative on May 5 and will be based in Sydney.

Says Tajer: “Lee has a truly enviable track record that is perfect to lead Initiative into the future. She has effectively led a very creative business that has attracted marquee clients, produced great work and developed a strong agency culture along the way.”

Tajer said that Livingston, who has been CEO of Initiative for the past two years, would move to the new COO role, also effective May 5.

Says Tajer: “After two years successfully leading Initiative to high points including new business wins and the MFA Grand Prix, we have asked Andrew to take on the new COO role to continue taking advantage of his strong commercial and operational skills. He will work with Lee on a transition of the CEO role and move to focus more on operational matters across the national business.”

Says Leggett: “I have been very impressed with Initiative as an organisation and the quality of its work. I am looking forward to getting to grips with the role and meeting the clients and people. It is a great opportunity.”