James Hier takes over from Peter Vogel at MEC

MEC has named Peter Vogel (left) as CEO of MEC Asia Pacific. The announcement was made today by Charles Courtier, global CEO. In an accompanying announcement, the global media agency has promoted James Hier (right) to replace Vogel as CEO of Australia and New Zealand.

Since Vogel joined MEC Australia five and a half years ago the agency has had notable new business successes, including Nestlé, Netflix, Domino’s Pizza, Allianz, Channel 7, Blackmores, South Australia Government, Combe, Menarini, RSPCA and Tiffany. The agency has also excelled in talent initiatives including in earlier this year becoming the first agency within GroupM to implement the "Floor is closed" program.

Vogel joins MEC’s global executive committee and will be relocating to MEC Hong Kong in the next few months. He replaces Stephen Li in Asia Pacific CEO.

Prior to becoming CEO for MEC Australia, Vogel moved from Singapore, where he was the chief strategy officer for MEC Asia Pacific.

Currently chief strategy officer MEC Australia, Hier has 20 years’ experience in advertising spanning digital, creative, strategy and media agencies.

Prior to re-joining MEC in Australia, Hier spent five years as a global integrated marketing communications consultant to the Unilever Marketing Academy, Heineken and SABMiller working in 26 countries. He also spent four years at the strategy agency Nota Bene in South Africa, part of the MEC network and has worked at TBWA, DDB and Leo Burnett where he launched Starcom in South Africa.

Hier will continue to host the WFA award-winning AANA Marketing Dividends TV series on Sky News Business, interviewing Australia’s leading marketers.