Schruers appointed head of online at Initiative

James Livesley, Media Week, 01 August 2006, 12:00AM

Initiative has promoted group head Dave Schruers to head of online and has decided on its new digital structure, following the departure of digital director Ben Christie in February.

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Christie will now not be replaced with another director and Schruers will report directly into deputy managing director Danny Donovan, who has senior responsibility for Initiative's digital offering.

Former PHD IQ joint managing director Christie left the role at Initiative after three months. In March, joint group head Nik Dewar also left the agency's online department to join MSN as an agency sales manager.

Schruers will now lead a team of 10 who will cover planning, buying and search, for clients including General Motors, Samsung and Fujitsu Siemens. He joined Initiative in summer last year from Universal McCann, where he was digital manager working on Microsoft, Sky and Panasonic.

Deputy MD Donovan said Schruers is "well-respected by clients, media owners and peers alike".

He added: "Over the past year he has played an important role in the development of our existing clients' work and in the winning of new business."

The new online boss will now focus on integrating digital into all of Initiative's work alongside other key specialists including Tony Manwaring for creativity, Chris Wright for iTV, Ian Stevens for mobile and Jonathan Barrowman for DAB.

This article was first published on Media Week