Undertow Media announces new senior leadership team

Indepedent PR agency Undertow Media is reshaping its senior team, promoting Ash McEnaney into the newly created role of head of agency.

It has also elevated Renai Hagstrom to group account director and welcomed senior lifestyle and beauty specialist Jess Carew.

The new position puts McEnaney at the helm of Undertow’s day-to-day operation and the continued development of its integrated communications capability.

Evolving the edge

At the heart of this, and increasingly recognised in the consumer brand-building space, is a proprietary database of more than 3,000 creators and personalities. It allows the agency to look well beyond the usual suspects, identifying talent according to geography, interests, lifestyle and increasingly specific audience or campaign requirements.

It’s one of a few successful recipes the team has developed in-house to help brands show up in the right places, from the front page to the feed.

McEnaney says the opportunity is to keep evolving this edge without losing the fundamentals the agency has built its reputation on.

“What excites me about this role is our ability to pair old-school media instinct with much smarter creator intelligence, creating ideas that travel properly across channels.”

Senior trifecta

Hagstrom’s promotion to group account director comes after four years with Undertow.

She oversees the agency’s growing beauty and wellness portfolio, spanning the likes of ghd to The Estée Lauder Companies brands that includes Mac, Jo Malone London, La Mer and more. Her promotion further strengthens an area that has become an increasingly significant part of Undertow’s business.

Carew rounds out the trifecta, with 15 years’ experience across lifestyle, health and beauty communications on clients including Dermalogica, The Beauty Chef, Casetify and Avène.

Important evolution

Undertow managing director Greer Bland says the appointments mark an important evolution for the independently owned agency.

“Ash has made an enormous impact on Undertow in three years. She’s commercially sharp, has incredible instincts with clients and people, and understands what makes this agency tick without feeling the need to change the things that make us different.

“Renai and Jess back this up with immaculate media relationships and the nosey by nature attribute that has become an Undertow ticker.”

The senior team changes follow a strong period for the agency, with recent wins including Warehouse Stationery, Pandora, Wonky Box and the return of Caci Clinic to its client portfolio.

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