SYDNEY — One Green Bean has appointed former Mango Communications managing director Simone Gupta as its new CEO.

Gupta is currently managing director of influencer marketing agency @London and has also held leadership roles at Edelman and Ogilvy during her six years in London. She ran Mango from 2008-2013 in Sydney, winning clients including Telstra, Tourism Australia and Volkswagen, and was also a board director at its parent company DDB for those five years.

She will start at One Green Bean in early 2020, succeeding Claire Salvetti who is leaving at the end of the year to relocate with her family to Barcelona.

Salvetti said: “Simone is proven talent and an awesome leader. We worked together at Mango when she brought me in to be her successor, and now we have come full circle as she will be my successor. We create similar cultures, focusing on enabling people to be their best, so I know One Green Bean will be in the very best hands."

Gupta said: “I’ve always admired One Green Bean, the agency has consistently set the bar for original ideas. Returning to Australia to lead the business is a unique opportunity. From my time working together with Claire at Mango, I know the culture and client base she has built will be a good fit, and I’m excited to join the leadership team in the Havas Village.”

Havas Group Australia and New Zealand chairman Anthony Freedman added: “Simone has an excellent reputation here in Australia and we are thrilled to lure her back. Simone’s heritage is in PR, but over time her experience has broadened to span social and influencer marketing, making her the perfect fit for One Green Bean's progressive creative communications offering and we are excited to see her take the business to new heights."

One Green Bean’s clients include Meat & Livestock Australia, Sydney Water, Coca-Cola, Dyson, Nike, Lego, The Body Shop, Club Med, Pernod Ricard and Seafolly.