Clemenger Group New Zealand 2014 Talent Programme selects nine top graduates

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2014 Clemenger Grads 2.jpgNine top graduates from universities around New Zealand have been chosen from hundreds of hopeful applicants to join the 2014 Clemenger Talent Programme.

In its fourth year, the intensive nine-month programme will see the graduates gain hands-on communications experience across the Clemenger Group’s leading companies in Auckland and Wellington.

The 2014 graduates are Kate Macdonald, University of Canterbury; Carmen McDougall, University of Auckland; Will Riley, University of Auckland; Matt Barnes, Victoria University; Michael Doolan, University of Canterbury; Bobby Innes, Otago University; Alex Plummer, AUT; Alex Smith, AUT and Katie Nimon, Massey University.

All nine started last month and will rotate through Clemenger Group companies over a three month period, gaining an insight into the wide variety of skills needed to run a successful communications business (including advertising, public relations, media, retail marketing, experiential marketing, direct and digital marketing). Candidates will then be offered a six-month placement in the company that suits them best, and will be paid an entry-level salary for this period.

Jim Moser, CEO of Clemenger Group says the company is happy to support the future of the industry with a programme that aims to put graduates in a position where they can be offered a full-time role within the Clemenger Group at the end of the nine-month programme.

Says Moser: “We are proud to say that 32 of the industry’s brightest young stars have taken part in the Clemenger Talent Programme since it was founded in 2011. We have had a remarkable success rate with the programme to date, with 81 per cent of participants being offered a job in one of the Clemenger Group companies after completion.”

The programme gives participants an unmatched opportunity to gain a broad knowledge of the various marketing communications disciplines thanks to the scale of the Clemenger Group business.

Says Moser: “This talent programme leverages the vast capabilities within the Clemenger Group and exposes New Zealand’s bright young professionals to the inner workings of brand, retail, direct, experiential, public relations, media and every other communications discipline within one group structure.

“The Clemenger Group is developing future leaders who have a fundamental understanding of a cross section of marketing communications disciplines. This is especially important where lines between historic communications disciplines are blurred or non-existent.”

One of the lucky graduates taking part in the 2014 programme, Matt Barnes of Victoria University, says he is looking forward to the next nine months in the Clemenger Talent Programme and is excited about the opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.

Says Barnes: “I think the Clemenger Talent Programme has got a lot to offer, and I feel really privileged to be involved. There is such a wealth of talent, knowledge and experience in every corner of the Clemenger Group, the rotation period is going to be a fantastic opportunity to learn from some of the best in New Zealand, and also the best in the world.”

The Clemenger Group is part of the global BBDO network and is New Zealand’s largest and most successful group of marketing communications companies, with a total of 13 businesses in the group across Auckland and Wellington representing more than 40 per cent of the entire media market.

(Left to right: Matt Barnes, Kate Macdonald, Bobby Innes, Will Riley, Alex Plummer, Katie Nimon, Carmen McDougall, Michael Doolan Not present: Alex Smith)