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Zenith Media has appointed Gerry Boyle to head its planning department following the departure of Rosemary Gorman last year.

Boyle joined the agency from Michaelides & Bednash last August as communications director to provide a bridge between Zenith’s qualitative research, planning and new business operations. He will now become a managing partner and director of planning.

Boyle will be supported by planning director Deidre McNair and Rhona Tridgell, who is heading the British Telecom account. Tridgell, a former media director at Foote Cone & Belding, will also provide input into the agency’s planning process.

Zenith Media managing director Simon Marquis said Boyle’s appointment would add a “bit of magic” to the agency’s planning service.

“Boyle will concentrate on our planning product and the requisite systems to ensure that it gets delivered and adds value wherever he can to our service,” Marquis said. “For Zenith to become a much more rounded proposition, the planning area almost needed positive discrimination. We have invested in people in the last year and this is coming to fruition,” he added.

Separately, associate director Jamie White has been promoted to broadcast director, reporting to managing partner Rob Hill, while Stuart Mays becomes press director following Damian Blackden’s move to Zenith Interactive Solutions. Tap Chauhan, a planning director, has also been appointed to the agency’s board.

Zenith has also launched a marketing information portal called zenithmedia.com. It provides links to 4,000 sites by advertiser category and media platform as well as access to Zenith’s own publications.