SYDNEY, January 1: After one year in the role, former Colenso BBDO NZ great Levi Slavin has resigned as chief creative officer of Howatson+Co Australia, turning his back on a 20-year career in the advertising industry – to return to New Zealand to join his family start-up, Ironclad, a cast-iron cookware manufacturer.

HAMILTON, January 1: Waikato-based PR agency HMC has announced the promotion of Rosie Miller to senior account manager – marketing communications lead, and welcomed Jamie Batters into the newly created position of digital pr content creator.

AUCKLAND, January 1: Deloitte Digital Creative New Zealand has announced the appointment of Priyanka Patel as programme director.

HAMILTON, January 1: Waikato-based strategic marketing agency HGB has announced the promotion of two staffers – Mitchell Hyde & Lachlan Blackburn – to new leadership roles, and the appointment of Karen Cousins as a marketing consultant.