Vision7 International was not on David Jowett’s radar last September, when an executive search firm approached the London-based president of global clients for Aegis Media to determine his interest in taking a leadership role with the company.
“I didn’t know their business,” admitted Jowett on Wednesday, two days after temporarily leaving his wife and daughter in his native England to assume the new role of Vision7 Media president, a role that includes oversight of Cossette Media and Jungle Media, as well as the company’s research arm, Impact Research. “I was based in Europe doing a global role, and hadn’t dealt with them.”
Upon arriving in Canada, Jowett was immediately impressed by both the company’s offices – a “stunning and inspiring place to work,” he said – and the team assembled by Vision7.
“Clearly these are some of the best people working in North America, never mind Canada, so they’re going to be highly impressive,” said Jowett. “Their vision for the future and the desire to accelerate alongside what’s happening in the world is an inspiring one.”
Jowett’s appointment follows what Vision7 International vice-chairman Brett Marchand described as an “extensive” search that included Canada, the United States and Europe.
He succeeds Pierre Delagrave, one of the architects of Cossette and Vision7, who has taken over a new role as head of the Vision7 Innovation Group. Delagrave will also support Jowett in his role as chairman of Vision7 Media International.
“The way consumers consume media has changed forever, and that connected, inter-connected, social, mobile, fast-paced, data-fueled world provides a landscape for media to take advantage of for our clients,” said Jowett. “Whether it’s paid search, amazing ideas to accelerate the creative content, [media] still sits at both ends of creativity and hard numbers, and how we connect all those opportunities to drive the greatest value is our job.”
Jowett spent the previous two-and-a-half years with Aegis Media’s London office, where he managed the multi-market media requirements for brands including Nokia, Philips, Adidas and Mondelez in his global role.
Prior to that, he spent 10 years with MediaCom UK, rising to the position of managing director of MediaCom, London. He was instrumental in helping the agency retain its position as the U.K.’s largest media planning and buying agency, with client responsibilities including Volkswagen Audi, Royal Bank of Scotland, GlaxoSmithKline and the U.K. drug chain Boots.
“I’m old enough to have done most jobs in an agency, from buying to account management to the commercial side to managing director,” said Jowett. “I’ve done most things, which I hope means I’ve got a good, balanced perspective on what pieces we need to put together to create a successful agency.”
Jowett will be based out of Toronto, but will also spend time at Vision7’s operations across the country.
