Michele Pauchuk has left her post as managing director of The Media Company to oversee Canadian operations at Initiative Worldwide. She succeeds Sarah Ivey, who has been named EVP/director of planning for Initiative Worldwide and director of the Interpublic Group unit Sandbox (which works exclusively for Johnson & Johnson brands).

Before her seven-year stint at The Media Company, Pauchuk held media roles at Communique Group, Doner Canada and Palmer Jarvis DDB.

Noting that Pauchuk is his agency’s first non-American executive hire since he became Initiative’s worldwide CEO earlier this month, Richard Beaven stated: ‘She is a strong, competent leader who demonstrates a take-charge attitude and a quiet reserve that both her clients and staff respect.’