Partner Article

LIFE appoints new marketing director Niki Cook

Integrated agency LIFE is bolstering its senior team with the appointment of Draftfcb’s Niki Cook as marketing director.

The hire signifies the launch of an ambitious growth strategy in 2015 following the agency’s acquisition by Communisis PLC at the end of 2014.

Cook joins with a remit to drive LIFE’s new business push across its advertising, digital, experiential, promotional and shopper specialisms, as well as its integrated offering. Her role will cover international expansion and both the Birmingham and London offices.

With more than 15 years of integrated marketing experience, Cook brings an understanding of both sides of the retail challenge to her new role at LIFE. As well as helping brands achieve effective representation at the point of purchase, her career has involved working with retailers to ensure their activities are compellingly articulated in store. Brands she has worked for include Burger King, Morrisons, Halfords, Visa and Unilever.

At Draftfcb, Cook was head of retail working on its Beiersdorf and Celesio accounts. Prior to this, she was managing director at LoweOpen, the Lowe & Partners shopper and retail agency formed following the merger of Delaney Lund Knox Warren (DLKW) with Lowe London. Her background also includes stints at The Marketing Store and Interfocus.

Ian Humphris, LIFE founder and managing director, said: “2015 will be a pivotal year for the agency. Our intention to create exceptional client work remains, but this will be accompanied by an even sharper focus on growing our portfolio – which is where Niki comes in.

“It takes a certain type of person to understand our approach and Niki got it straight away. She’s a great cultural fit and embodies our Marketing First, Comms Second proposition in her own rich background in marketing.”

Niki Cook, added: “LIFE is at a hugely interesting and crucial point in its development. The agency has new firepower behind it in the form of Communisis and is in a great position to take its bold approach and thinking into 2015 – one of the key elements that drew me to the position. LIFE has an upbeat energy and passion which make for a very exciting place to work. I look forward to doing my bit to share that passion with the wider world.”

Cook will report directly into managing directors Ian Humphris and David Poole.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alex Sampson .