Korn Ferry appoints new head of media and entertainment practice
Former Havas Managing Partner Amanda Pitt has been appointed to lead Korn Ferry’s media and entertainment practice for the UK and EMEA. The move comes as one of the world’s largest recruitment groups sets its sights on growth into the media and marketing sphere.
The consulting industry has been making a sustained effort to improve its footprint in the media and advertising segments in recent times. The lucrative arena presents consultants with a major opportunity to grow revenues by providing an end-to-end service that is capable of eating into the market share of long-term incumbents. Accenture’s substantial $1 billion war chest spent beefing up its Interactive wing, for instance, quickly paid dividends for the firm.
Korn Ferry, which advises clients on strategy, internal company structures and executive search, is one of the big five global headhunting firms – collectively dubbed the "Shrek" groups because of the first letter of their company names – along with Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Russell Reynolds Associates and Egon Zehnder. While Korn Ferry describes itself as a global organisational consulting firm, however, the organisation is similarly keen to enjoy the benefits of tapping into the marketing and media business.
This has seen Korn Ferry appoint experienced marketing professional Amanda Pitt as its Senior Media Partner, Media & Entertainment. Pitt brings more than 20 years of experience across the digital sector to the role, having held senior positions within executive search firms, media owners and agencies. She has worked on senior executive positions across a breadth of media businesses, and has placed CEO & Executive appointments internationally, across senior management roles in leadership, sales, commercial, technology, strategy, marketing, communications, operations and creative.
Illustrating this well-balanced CV, most recently Pitt was a Partner at search and advisory firm Grace Blue, before which she spent time as Managing Partner in New Business and Marketing for Havas Media Group. Pitt has also previously been Head of Publishing & Media Search with The Lighthouse Company, and a Freelance Consultant with BBC Worldwide, among a list of other notable roles. As Korn Ferry looks to move into territory occupied by specialist boutique recruiters in media and marketing, her appointment is a significant statement of intent from the consultancy.
Commenting to marketing industry news site Campaign, Pitt said "Marketing has become a much more strategic driver of all businesses as companies themselves have to become much more consumer-centric and put consumers at the heart of their business."
She added that media, marketing and digital skills were becoming more important. This is because companies are looking to cope with technological disruption, and must therefore ensure "every aspect" of their brand and the wider customer experience is interconnected.
Related: Lisa De Bonis joins Accenture Interactive from Havas London.
