DDB London hot shot Dylan Harrison lured to ECD gig at Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand

Internationally lauded, multiple award-winning advertising creative Dylan Harrison has been appointed executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, taking the role left vacant after the departure of Mike O’Sullivan. His appointment completes the new leadership team for Saatchi’s New Zealand following last month’s announcement of New Zealand-born Nicola Bell’s selection as the new CEO.

Aussie expat Harrison joins the New Zealand team from a highly decorated 10-year stint with DDB London, where he picked up numerous awards for clients as diverse as Volkswagen, Marmite, Budweiser and the Guardian newspaper. In addition to three nominations and a Silver pencil at D&AD, he has won at every major awards show, including gold at Cannes, The One Show, Clio, ANDY, Creative Circle, Campaign Press and Eurobest.

His print ad ‘Cops’ for Volkswagen won both the Grand Prix in Cannesand Eurobest, making it one of the most awarded print ads in history.He repeated the double Grand Prix honours again last year, scoopingboth the Eurobest and Epica top award for the Singing Dog’ TV spot for Volkswagen.

Melbourne-born Harrison (pictured below, between Saatchi Sydney’s CD Dave Bowman and ECD Steve Back after the CB/FBI Legendary Lunch in Cannes last year), who succeeds outgoing ECD Mike O’Sullivan,says he is raring to go: “I can’t wait to get started. Opportunitieslike this are so rare, I didn’t hesitate. After 13 years in London, Icouldn’t resist returning to the region. It’s not often you get theopportunity to work for an agency as creative as Saatchi’s and in amarket as dynamic as New Zealand’s. 

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be in advertising – theliberation of media through technology, the global financial crisis,and creativity earning its rightful place in the boardroom solvingfundamental business issues.”

Ian Rowden, Chairman and CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Asia Pacific,said Harrison’s appointment follows a worldwide search for a new ECD topartner with Nicola Bell: “Dylan is a world class creative talent,whose awards were garnered for work that essentially solved big clientproblems. His restless obsession with the power of creativity to solvebusiness issues, and a belief in driving consumer engagement andparticipation, will serve our clients well.”

“Together, Nicky and Dylan make a dream team that will maintain ourlong standing tradition of game-changing creativity and lead the NewZealand business to new heights.”

Both start on February 22. Harrison and his family will relocate from London to Auckland in February.

Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand clients include Telecom New Zealand,Toyota, Westpac, New Zealand Post, DB, New Zealand Defence Force,Contact Energy, Sanyo, and House of Travel.