Weber Shandwick Expands Australian Operations with the Appointment of Simon Schweigert
SYDNEY, Australia, 20 May 2011 – Weber Shandwick today announced the appointment of Simon Schweigert as General Manager, Melbourne and the establishment of a new operational base in the city.
Schweigert will be responsible for leading the development and expansion of the local operation and integrating services with the 40-strong team in Sydney. He will report to Ian Rumsby, chairman of the firm’s Australian business.
Commenting on the appointment, Rumsby said, “We are absolutely delighted to have attracted someone of Simon’s calibre to the firm. His experience, expertise and proven track record in building businesses makes him an excellent choice to drive our presence in the Melbourne market.” Schweigert was formally managing director at Australian firm Peninsula Partnerships and has previously worked with multi-national agencies in Asia.
Providing further context to the new Melbourne offices, Rumsby said, “Simon’s appointment is one of a number of carefully-considered steps we are taking to build and strengthen our Australian-wide service offer across geographies and disciplines. The response of our clients and those in our team has been incredibly encouraging, and we look forward to the contribution a Melbourne office will make to our business.”
Schweigert joins the agency following the recent appointment of Chicago based Heidi Noble as Head of Lifestyle at Weber Shandwick in Australia.