M&C Saatchi appoint new creative quartet
M&C Saatchi Sydney recently bolstered their creative ranks quite considerably with four significant new appointments. The news comes just weeks after M&C Saatchi won the B&T Grand Prix Agency of the Year and Employer of the Year Awards in addition to Campaign Asia Pacific’s Australian Agency of the Year title. Back in October it was also ranked 2nd on BRW’s 50 Most Innovative Companies in Australia list.
Nev Fordyce joins the agency as senior creative chief from BMF. At BMF, Fordyce worked across the full roster of clients, which included ALDI, Lion, Carnival and MLA, for which he helped create the successful “Beef Oracle” and “Lambnesia” campaigns. He will be partnering with hands on digital-specialist Steve Hanzic, who moves across from M&C Saatchi's digital and production business Make as senior art director. Hanzic has worked on countless award-winning campaigns for M&C Saatchi over the years, including work for Google Play and CommBank. Blake Arthur and Matt Ennis will also be joining the agency after a spell at Ogilvy Sydney, though they first began their partnership during a four-year sting at BWM. Together, the pair have worked on many successful campaigns, included “Stop and Smell the Chicken” for KFC.
M&C Saatchi Executive Creative Director Ben Welsh said of the quartet; “Their work speaks for their talent but more importantly they’re mad keen to make their mark.” Fordyce, meanwhile, summed up the group's feelings by saying “It’s an exciting year to be arriving at M&C Saatchi,” because Welsh has “Laid out a solid vision on how M&C Saatchi plans to build on some great success, as the industry continues to innovate.” All four of them look forward “To working with some of the brightest minds, and contributing to the weight of such a strong agency.”
BBDO Singapore bags new regional business director
Chris Willingham was announced this week as regional business director for BBDO Singapore's key Visa account. Willingham, who was previously a partner at Fallon London, but was most recently CEO for Asia at data science company Starcount, will also be tasked with boosting regional agency growth, and will report directly to chairman and CEO Chris Thomas and president Jean-Pail Burg. He has over 20 years' experience in the industry and has won three Cannes Grand Prix, a D&AD Black Pencil and an IPA Effectiveness Gold, amongst many other industry awards.
Burge said he has wanted to work with Willingham for some time because “He is a great all-rounder that brings with him a wealth of experience and an unwavering focus on creating great work.” He says they believe in Burge BBDO Singapore has found “The very best” man to build on their “Creative and effectiveness success.” Willingham adds that he is “Very excited to be joining BBDO at such a pivotal time,” and looks forward to working with them, “And a very impressive group of clients, to deliver ground-breaking ideas that solve real business problems.”
ZenithOptimedia doubles up its digital team
ZenithOptimedia announced two big new appointments to its UK digital department this week with James Hudson taking the role UK digital head and Pedro Mona joining as UK head of digital technology. The roles have both been created especially for the pair, who join the agency following the appointment of Stefan Bardega as global chief digital officer earlier in the year. Hudson joins from a head of media role at AKQA.where he worked with brands such as Nike, Mini and Xbox to develop media strategy and planning. He also spent four years at independent digital planning and buying agency i-level, where he was in charge of the strategic and brand elements of their Sky account. At ZenithOptimedia, he'll be responsible for leading the agency’s digital strategy on key UK clients. Mona, meanwhile, joins from the mobile agency SOMO, where he too was in charge of media. In his new role, he'll be responsible for ad technology, digital analytics and digital operations.
Mark Howley, group managing director at ZenithOptimedia UK, said of Hudson; “He has a well-earned reputation as one of the very best digital thinkers in the industry,” and believes that “Talent like James will be essential in orchestrating and driving forward,” their clients’ communications. Bardega adds that both Hudson and Mona “Are two of the sharpest digital operators in the country,” and have “Helped transform businesses through digital communications, technology and data.” He feels “They will be a real asset to ZenithOptimedia.”
