“Jeremy is a great fit for the role as he can use his deep customer expertise in a more direct way, as well as continuing the evolution of our sites, apps and channels.”
Mr Nicholas will continue to lead Telstra’s marketing team until a new CMO is appointed. The telco is at the start of its search.
Mr Nicholas was promoted to chief marketing officer in February 2020, two years after the telco announced it would no longer have a CMO because it was decentralising the position after the exit of Joe Pollard.
During his time as CMO, Mr Nicholas oversaw the telco’s first brand campaign since 2016, introducing the tagline of “Australia is why” in a marketing push that highlighted Telstra’s work in sustainability, sponsorship, connectivity and community.
The move will send rumblings through Australia’s advertising industry, as any movements of marketing officers often lead to a change in agency relationships. The telco is one of Australia’s largest advertisers, with the OMD-held master media account estimated to be worth more than $100 million.
In the creative advertising space, Telstra works with The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive.
Telstra spent $248 million on “promotion and advertising” in fiscal year 2021, according to its annual report.
Before Telstra, Mr Nicholas worked for Visa for three years in a variety of marketing roles.