Carat Australia bolsters national executive leadership team with four new appointments

Carat ANZ CEO Simon Ryan has today announced several internal promotions and formal title changes in a move designed to further bolster Carat’s national executive leadership Team (ELT) and reward high performing talent.

Effective immediately, Sam Hegg will become the chief strategy officer for Carat Australia. Formerly Carat’s national head of product, Hegg has been integral in establishing the agency’s standout strategic offering, including spearheading a number of recent high profile new business wins. His new role is designed to ensure strategic consistency and alignment, both across the national network and globally.

Adriana Colaneri has been appointed to the position of chief marketing officer. Colaneri has been with Carat for over ten years, most recently in her capacity as national head of marketing. Having already made an enormous impact over her short tenure, Colaneri’s appointment reflects Carat’s local and global commitment to positioning the brand as a market leader.

Sarah James will become the chief digital officer. Formerly the national head of digital, James’ new role positions her as the driving force behind Carat’s 100% digital vision for 2020. She will work closely with technology partners, global media partners, and digital agencies to keep Carat clients at the forefront of digital evolution.

Ashley Earnshaw will join Carat’s national ELT in the position of chief investment officer. Currently Carat Sydney’s head of trading, Earnshaw’s new role is part of an increased emphasis on alignment of client investment priorities across Carat’s five offices, with a clear national investment agenda.

Says Ryan: “I’m extremely pleased to further bolster the national Carat executive team with such fine, high performing talent. This team has been built to not only support leadership and specialist divisions in each state, but to also add rigor and bench-strength at a senior level, ensuring our clients are properly serviced in this ever-changing convergent media landscape.

“Our clients deserve the best. That, and the personal pride I have in Carat means we only hire and promote the very best people; we focus first and foremost on our client’s needs, and how we can best position ourselves to deliver on that. With our growth and maturity in the market, this sets the standard for quality and best practice.”

The new appointments come off the back of an incredibly successful 2015 for the agency, including winning over $115m in new business and being named B&T’s 2015 ‘Media Agency of the Year’.

(Pictured L-R: Adriana Colaneri, Ashley Earnshaw, Sarah James and Sam Hegg)