AMS tries to make sense of northern media by poaching two from MediaCom Leeds

AMS Media, one of the stalwarts of the UK’s still-surviving media independent sector, has lured two former MediaCom execs to helm its new office in Leeds.

MediaCom Leeds founding director Steve Empson and investment director James Whitehead (fourth and second from left, below, with AMS MD Duncan Collins and CEO Paul Phelps) are to lead the new AMS office. MediaCom, owned by WPP, is far and way the UK’s biggest media agency. both worked a Brilliant Media which was bought by MediaCom in 2011.

Whitehead says: “We believe clients are increasingly seeking an alternative to the network agencies. We aim to offer a high quality service, delivered by experienced practitioners, with no potential conflict of interest to compromise the ideal media strategy.”

In a further attempt to take the fight to the enemy AMS is rebranding on the platform “Actually Making Sense,” suggesting that the big media networks are in it for their own good rather than their clients.

Should be lively in Leeds.