Mark Gorman, former managing director of 1576, is set to return to the Scottish advertising industry on a full-time basis as the Scottish chief executive of Citigate SMARTS.
Gorman left 1576 last year and has since been working part-time on a consultant basis with Edinburgh-based agency Whitespace.
Rob Morrice, group chief executive of Citigate SMARTS, said: “Mark’s appointment is an exciting and important one for Citigate SMARTS as we work towards achieving our goal of being the best and most profitable agency in Scotland. Mark will work with Helen Morrison and Lesley Alexander, joint MDs for advertising and PR respectively. I believe Mark’s appointment is a significant coup.”
Gorman will take up his new position at Citigate SMARTS from 1 November.
Meanwhile, the agency has been appointed to handle the Scottish PR brief for Waterstone’s – the leading specialist book retailer – following a two-way competitive pitch.
Citigate SMARTS has been tasked with developing the brand across Scotland in a relevant and creative way. This commitment to a dedicated Scottish PR resource demonstrates Waterstone’s drive to bring a new focus to regional PR activity and support its branch network.
Jo Marino at Waterstone’s, said: “The Scottish market is key to our business so this appointment reflects our commitment to enhancing our presence and profile. Citigate SMARTS really captured our imagination and showed an insightful approach to working in a demanding retail environment.”