Publicis•Poke Hires New Head of Integrated Planning in Series of Hires and Promotions

In June this year, Publicis Worldwide UK brought together its three independently strong businesses housed at 82 Baker Street; Publicis London (creative), Poke (digital), Arc (shopper) to become one integrated agency named Publicis•Poke.

To support the model of newly restructured agency Publicis•Poke - which ensures the very best people and teams are working together as one to shape brilliant creative thinking and execution across the broad spheres of brand communications, brand experiences and brand commerce - the agency has made a series of hires and promotions.

Alexandra Mimoun will join the agency as its head of integrated planning. She will be responsible for driving the agency’s integrated strategy solutions and continuing to raise the competency of its dynamic strategy department. She will work closely with and report into Sol Ghafoor who was promoted from head of digital & social, Publicis Worldwide UK to head of strategy, Publicis•Poke earlier this year.

Sol joined Publicis Worldwide UK from AKQA in 2015 to head up the new digital and social offering across its agencies. He worked on integrating the different specialisms at Publicis Worldwide UK to offer more integrated digital and social solutions for clients. Leading on brand, social and digital platform strategy for clients that include Morrisons, Nestle and Heineken.

Alexandra previously spent three years at Publicis Conseil Paris, where she worked on new business and some of the agency’s top clients. Prior to joining Publicis Conseil, she was head of planning at Ogilvy Paris where she led integrated strategy for multiple French and international accounts such as Netflix, Google and Coca-Cola. Before that, she spent five years at Naked Communications in New York and London.

She has worked on multiple award-winning campaigns, including 10 Cannes Lions for campaigns including Google+ ‘Same Sex Marriage’, Netflix ‘GIF’ campaign, and France 3 ‘La Foret’.

Sol Ghafoor, head of strategy, Publicis•Poke, said: “Alex brings a potent blend of consumer first, data led thinking that will fully integrate our specialisms across Brand Comms, Experience and Commerce to deliver an innovative end-to-end approach to strategy for Publicis•Poke clients.”

Alexandra Mimoum, head of integrated planning, Publicis•Poke said: “After three years in the Paris office, I am delighted to continue my Publicis adventure across the channel. I look forward to helping write Publicis•Poke’s next chapter.”

In addition to Alexandra joining, Publicis•Poke has created three group programme director roles within the new agency. The roles will be filled By Sonia Figone who was at Poke for three years prior and new hires, Justene Miller and Maria McDowell. Working closely with the agency’s three managing partners and its clients the group programme directors will ensure Publicis•Poke can strategically shape the delivery and operational aspects across all of its clients and meet client expectations around speed, agility and quality of work.

Sonia Figone has over 10 years of advertising and marketing experience across the UK, US and Italy, working with luxury fashion brands including Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Bally, and established beauty corporations such as L’Oreal, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Percassi Group to deliver integrated campaigns and innovative experiences.

Maria McDowell joins from brand and technology agency The Tin where she was head of project management. She has 20 years of project management and delivery experience at leading agencies including Imagination, VCCP, Ogilvy, Agency Republic, JWT, and M&C Saatchi. In her spare time, she acts as head of mentorship for Brixton Finishing school, a charity which seeks to challenge diversity issues in advertising.  She is also a mentor for the BIMA mentoring scheme.

Justene Miller joins from Future Laboratory where she was head of project management. Prior to that she has 15 years agency experience, and of that the last nine years consulting at agencies including AKQA, Wieden & Kennedy, VCCP, JWT and Wunderman, working across brands including Nike, Samsung, British Airways, Nestle and Diageo.  In her spare time, she has a custom motorcycle and clothing company called Death Machines of London.

Ben Joyce, head of delivery at Publicis•Poke, said: “Sonia, Justene, and Maria as Group Programme Directors are key to ensure Publicis•Poke has the ability to scale at speed and meet our business objectives set for 2020.”