Apparent has announced the appointment of Simon Pugh as Chief Media Officer, expanding its leadership team. Pugh, who has held senior leadership positions at Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, and Dentsu in Sydney, New York, and San Francisco, will be responsible for growing Apparent’s media offering both in Australia and internationally.
Before joining Apparent, Pugh played a key role in establishing EssenceMediacom in Australia. He has extensive experience working with startups and international brands, including Square, Microsoft, Diageo, and The Coca-Cola Company.
Pugh expressed his enthusiasm for joining Apparent, stating, “I was drawn to the company because it focuses on solving complex client problems through the integration of media, creativity, data, and technology. These deep specialties exist within the agency, which is not typical across today’s Australian agency landscape. In a world where clients need help designing and operationalizing future-focused marketing capabilities, I believe our integrated, agile, and tech-focused model is a differentiator. From my very first conversations with Phil and Suzy, I was impressed by the agency’s culture and its singular focus on delivering business impact for clients.”
Apparent Managing Director Suzy Smiley welcomed Pugh to the leadership team, noting, “His considerable experience working with major brands at some of the most recognised and awarded agencies will help accelerate our media and marketing capabilities. We continue to attract top talent to Apparent that helps drive our clients’ businesses and expand our global footprint.”
Pugh is the latest senior appointment at Apparent, following the addition of Jason Hill as Chief Strategy Officer in December, a newly created role aimed at enhancing the agency’s strategic offerings.
