Longhurst, who joined TAP 18 months ago as an interactive TV consultant, will lead a newly created management team that has been built with the intention of diversifying the agency from its core BT television buying origins.
Previously a director at Quantum New Media and executive media director at Ammirati Puris Lintas, Longhurst will work with chief executive Nigel Allmond to take the agency into new areas.
Longhurst is joined in the management structure by Nigel Breckon, the former Carat director, as head of press. Breckon, who left Carat to launch his own agency, had been working informally with TAP but will now take on a recognised position.
The agency has also hired Jon Marchant, formerly of Granada and business development director of Sponsorvision, to grow its sponsorship and content business. Its finance director Gerry McGuinness will also work on the content side of the business.
TAP's new management structure follows its buy-out from Omnicom's Manning Gottlieb OMD after several months of negotiations. BT accounts for around 50% of TAP's business but it also has clients including AA and COI Communications and last week won the 拢2m Gucci planning and buying business.
Longhurst said: "We have put in place, very quickly, the classic media agency management structure but with the added emphasis on programming and content."
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