UM taps OMD’s Victoria Steward for head of growth position

IPG media agency UM has appointed Victoria Steward as its first head of growth, to develop the agency’s growth strategy in the UK and support its global activity.

Steward joins from rival OMD, where she was head of new business for EMEA. Prior to this, she was director of business development at Mediacom Asia Pacific.

She will report into UK CEO Rachel Forde, who said: “Vic has a glowing track record in building and leading teams that deliver success. Her wealth of experience across the UK, EMEA and APAC markets means she’s well-versed in developing bespoke, nuanced strategies to meet the needs of prospective clients.

“UM is developing rapidly as a business, both in terms of driving the new business pipeline and also in our mission to become the most progressive employer in the market. It’s vital to have someone of Vic’s stature to coordinate, support and nurture our growth as an intrinsic part of that strategy.”

UM operates in over 100 countries, with clients including Accenture, Coca-Cola, The Economist and Spotify.