Machine appoints strong women-led leadership team

Issued by Machine_

6 Mar 2020

Award-winning brand experience company Machine is set to move into the future with the appointment of two phenomenal women to the top management team. Robyn Campbell takes the reins as managing director, while Lindsey Rayner joins the Joburg team as managing partner.

Machine MD Robyn Campbell

Machine managing partner Lindsey Rayner

Campbell joins the team from HelloFCB, a digitally-led specialist TTL agency, where she served as MD. She takes over from Gareth McPherson, who tackles a new challenge as chief marketing officer at Virgin Active South Africa.

Campbell brings with her over a decade of experience in the agency world, with a heavy focus on the digital environment. During her tenure at HelloFCB, she drove digital-first thinking, developing various specialist units including the social media department, digital content production and digital media offerings.

She is also passionate about industry transformation and equality, and as head of the IAB Agency Council, contributes regularly to thought leadership, mentoring and development initiatives to uplift the industry.

Rayner has been leading Samsung South Africa's mobile and consumer electronics business for full-service agency Cheil SA for the past year, and before that held the role of deputy MD at specialist agency 34. She joins Dustin Carr at the helm in Joburg.

Outgoing MD McPherson believes that the timing couldn’t be better for this female team to take over:

“Machine is in a truly great space, having virtually doubled its business at the end of last year through the addition of Heineken South Africa and the Sanlam Group to its portfolio. The agency couldn’t be in better hands to see it through this next phase in its life.

“Robyn and Lindsey are talented, driven and passionate. They embody the values of Machine, and I have no doubt that together with our existing team they will drive Machine to even greater heights.”

Campbell and Rayner are committed to helping Machine grow and thrive as it enters a new phase in its life.

Campbell concludes:

“Machine has carved a unique position within the industry over the years, particularly for its ability to adapt to a fast-changing consumer and media environment. Having a clear vision on what value we can add to their businesses is key to our future plans. As we journey through local and global changes and challenges with our clients, we will continue to adapt in order to deliver more valuable, effective and innovative solutions.”

Campbell takes up her post in May 2020.

About Machine

Born in the digital age and passionate about the potential of digital strategy, Machine combines incisive strategy, award-winning creativity and cutting-edge technology to transform client businesses for the better. It is represented in both Johannesburg and Cape Town and features specialisation across five key pillars: content marketing (Narrative), public relations (Moon Walk), technology and digital solutions (Nurun), user-experience and through-the-line communications.