Carlson Marketing Group Appoints Country Manager
Carlson Marketing Group has appointed Simon Rowles as Country Manager New Zealand.
Simon has been acting in this role on a temporary contract for the last three months.
Simon was most recently Country Manager of Diners Club New Zealand, where he delivered 20 percent year on year growth
and secured numerous major partnerships and channel relationships.
Previously, Simon was an Executive Director of American Express in South Africa (turnover NZ$2 billion) and served on
the advisory board of American Express Global Network services in the United Kingdom. He has substantial experience in
business management, governance, strategic marketing and sales in organisations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to
start-up entrepreneurial ventures.
Simon’s executive level industry experience includes financial services, retail, travel, IT, telecoms and e-tailing.
“My goal is simple: to grow Carlson into New Zealand’s premier marketing services company. ” says Simon. “Carlson
Marketing Group in New Zealand is somewhat of a dark horse. Globally, we have revenues of US$20 billion. We’re the
biggest marketing services company in the United States and the eleventh biggest in the world according to Advertising
Age. Information Week’s Top 500 Technology Leaders ranks Carlson sixth in the world for its innovative application of
technologies. That’s ahead of players such as Dell and Sun Microsystems. Importantly, we’re also one of Fortune’s Top
100 places to work.”
“We will shortly be announcing a local merger which I believe will contribute significantly to achieving this growth.”
Simon sits on Carlson’s Regional Management Board headed by Australia Managing Director Karl Schuster.
“Carlson’s New Zealand operation is in excellent health, with a solid record in developing and delivering relationship
marketing programmes for a blue chip client list,” says Karl. “Simon has the track record, skills and determination to
leverage the substantial growth opportunities which exist in the New Zealand market for relationship marketing
services.”
Simon holds an MBA and emigrated from South Africa to New Zealand in 2001.