SBM appoints James Hannan as CEO, Ian Cook to lead Sydney as GM

Independent full-service marketing agency SBM has appointed James Hannan as CEO, alongside Ian Cook joining as General Manager of its Sydney operations.

The leadership changes come as the agency expands its martech and AI capabilities to support clients navigating tighter marketing budgets.

Hannan brings over two decades of experience in media, marketing and print from roles at IPMG, Independent Digital Media and Ovato. He will focus on elevating SBM’s market presence.

Cook previously held senior operations roles at BMF and Bastion and will oversee Sydney-based functions including marketing, design, production and digital services.

Hannan said: “SBM is arguably Australia’s best-kept secret. We have capabilities that are broad, deep, and powerful - but too often, underappreciated.

“That’s not due to lack of performance, rather a lack of awareness. We not only have the creative talent to deliver eye-catching marketing but the technological capabilities to drive the value of every dollar spent further.”

Cook added: “Joining SBM is an exciting opportunity to help lead the business into its next stage of growth.

“With the diversity of our people and the depth of our marketing capabilities - spanning creative production and martech, now embedded with AI - we’re in a unique position to create real value. It’s a great time to be part of the journey."

SBM services retail brands such as The Reject Shop, Aldi and Priceline, spanning creative, content, PR, production and print. The agency is investing in AI-powered tools to enhance marketing output and efficiency, including automated image editing, content adaptation, and production scalability.

SBM’s platform, SBM OS, streamlines campaign management with modules for Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Digital Catalogue Management (DCM). The DAM tool enables AI tagging and version control across brand assets, while the DCM module supports interactive, geo-targeted catalogues integrated with eCommerce platforms.

Ben Hannan has also been promoted to the newly created role of Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, overseeing sales and brand awareness.

The agency says these enhancements aim to help clients run more campaigns within the same budget by automating content repurposing and shortening production cycles.

SBM operates offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and Chennai, India.

Top image: Ben Hannan, James Hannan, Ian Cook

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