Ogilvy New Zealand ECD Damon O’Leary set for consultancy role project by project from January
Damon O’Leary, ECD of Ogilvy New Zealand will be taking on a consultancy role at the agency on a project by project basis as from January 2012, citing family reasons for the move.
O’Leary, who has been sole ECD since the retirement of his long-term creative partner Basil Christensen to the south of France in September last year, will also consult to other clients.
Thecreators of one of New Zealand’s best-loved beer commercials – Tui ‘Brucetta’ -their work has been awarded at Clio, AWARD, The One Show, Cannes, LondonInternational, they’re ‘in book’ at D&AD and have numerous bronze,silver and gold AXIS awards – plus they have twice won the Grande ORCA.
Afterbeing lured to Ogilvy from a 12 year stint at Saatchi’s by Roy Mearesand Jeremy Taine three years ago – the duo took up the reigns as newcreative heads after Taine’s departure in 2009.
“Damon has done a great job leading our creative department of 26 outstanding art directors, copy writers and digital specialists,” says Ogilvy MD Greg Partington.
“He has been passionate about the agency and has produced strong work. I respect and support Damon’s decision to make a change and look forward to continuing the relationship. Ogilvy’s creative department has expanded over the last few years to include greater depth in digital. In addition, the creative team is backed up by one of the largest inhouse design, animation and production capabilities of any agency in New Zealand with an additional 38 specialists in our Auckland and Wellington offices. We will announce the new creative department leadership structure in the New Year.”
7 Comments
Good luck Damon,as an observer from afar it looks like you’ve done a great job during your time at the helm. Hope all is well.
This news shocked me. Like many others around me, I never saw it coming.
Damon, you’ll be fine. Choosing family over work is a bloody good call. I tip my hat to you.
But surely the biggest challenge facing Ogilvy is the lack of decent lunch venues that are near by.
Sure Cibo is just around the corner, but the Starry Kitchen never really took off.
The French Cafe may be up the hill and that trendy cafe may be next door to Ogilvy, but the purpose of a truly great lunch venue is to get slaughtered and never return to work.
Good luck Damon. Nice one.
If I can just reply to the Reviewer, NSP never fails for a long lunch and Cibo are happy to serve through to dinner and beyond. Failing that though, it’s not too tricky to drop your car off at home and head to Ponsonby.
Kim, I stand corrected. Thank you.
NSP has provided me with many great afternoons and nights, both professional and personal. And it is Metro Top 50.
However, it has mainly been the lunches with my professional colleagues that has seen me twice refused service. When that happens, all you do is respect their decision, exit, stumble into a cab, head to Saatchis, try to blag your way past their ruthless, but nice, receptionists, and sneak into their bar.
Good on you mate. I hope you’re doing well and I bet the change will be liberating to say the least.
Let’s catch up when you can…
Sounding more and more like management’s knife has been out again. Has it?