Whybin\TBWA Auckland lures Dave King for CCO role; Toby Talbot takes CCO gig at DDB Sydney; M&C Saatchi to close New Zealand office in July
UPDATED – In two major moves today Dave King has been appointed chief creative officer of Whybin\TBWA New Zealand – effective July – replacing Toby Talbot, who has been lured to the CCO role at DDB Sydney.
Talbot (near left) only took on the chief creative officer – and co-managing – role at Whybin\TBWA Auckland in early 2013. He returns to the DDB fold – he was group ECD of the NZ office for five years – after spending a year at RKCR/Y&R in London.
As a result of King’s departure the troubled M&C Saatchi New Zealand office will close in July. It is understood that the agency has given management the opportunity to take ownership of the agency’s clients.
Talbot will be working with DDB Sydney ECD Dylan Harrison, as the network puts in place a new creative structure in the region.
In line with the appointment of Damon Stapleton as CCO at DDB New Zealand last month, Talbot’s appointment comes as the network looks to magnify the senior creative offering within Australia and New Zealand.
Says managing director DDB Australia, Andrew Little: “Under Dylan’s tenure DDB Sydney has produced outstanding commercial and creative success over the past three years. Following suit with New Zealand we have appointed Toby as Chief Creative Officer at DDB Sydney to amplify our creative firepower and continue to develop effective, relevant and outstanding campaigns. Toby and Dylan are both world-class talents – what a partnership!”
Says Talbot: “DDB has always been hugely supportive of me and my work and I am thrilled to be returning ‘home’. My time at DDB Auckland continues to be a highlight for me and I have kept a close eye on the network’s outstanding success. The output across the region, not least in Australia, has been extraordinary and I am excited to be joining Dylan and the team.”
Adds Marty O’Halloran, chairman DDB Group Australia and New Zealand: “We are delighted to welcome Toby back into the DDB fold. He led the creative department in DDB Auckland to tremendous success and we always secretly hoped he would return to us one day. As with every department within the DDB Group, we are always looking at ways to optimise our structure with the resources available whilst producing the highest possible quality of work.”
Adds Harrison: “Toby has been a great mentor to me ever since I began at DDB Sydney, I’m looking forward to the relationship being made official. He is an awesome creative talent not to mention an awesome bloke. I think we will be a great team.”
King (above left) is recognised as one of the most successful, integrated creative leaders in the region, having forged a career that spans digital, direct and above-the-line. In 2007 and 2008, he was named one of the most awarded creative directors in the world by The Won Report, and is consistently one of the most awarded direct and digital creative leaders in Australasia.
In 2011, King was awarded the Irving Wunderman award at the Caples Awards in New York. His work has won more than 30 Caples awards, including a number of Gold awards and the Best in Show award in 2008. King has also won 14 Cannes Lions awards, in additional to many more Australian and New Zealand awards.
Says Keith Smith, TBWA president – international: “I am delighted that Dave is now in a position to join our growing team in New Zealand at this time. He is one of the rare creatives that can move seamlessly between media types and is perfectly suited to lead Whybin\TBWA in it’s push to create brand-aligned content across a broader range of customer channels.
“Dave has a formidable reputation for developing talent and for producing work that is highly effective. He is the modern age creative mind – media-neutral, very savvy, and an excellent mentor. He’s the ideal fit for Whybin\TBWA.”
Whybin\TBWA New Zealand chief executive officer, Todd McLeay, said he couldn’t wait to start working with King because he truly understood the new marketing order.
Says McLeay: “We can’t be in the business of creating a narrow range of highly crafted media productions and expecting them alone to do the job for a brand. At Whybin\TBWA, we’re moving past optimising media placement to build a business model that optimises content itself. This requires a different way of thinking, which is why Dave is a great fit with our team.”
28 Comments
Wow. Great news Mr King.
Congratulations Dave. Whybin/TBWA have been on a roll of late, hiring some damn talented, bloody nice people. You’ll fit in well. And to his new colleagues – prepare yourself for story time. He’s got a shit load – funnier or more awkward than most.
TOBYWA was just beginning to catch on!
Fuck yeah, nicely done Dave! Well deserved.
If the King is such a formidable talent,why is M&C closing down ?
TBWA on a roll? You mean losing Kane and Talbot? Or those huge account wins TradeMe and Bell Tea? Or the far bigger account losses like 2 Degrees and the forthcoming ANZ pitch? There’s a reason everyone’s trying to jump ship.
Presume that means Dylan is departing DDB Sydney?
Big call by ddb. Talbot’s London jaunt didn’t work, now TBWA hasn’t worked, will ddb sydney work? What astounding work have we seen in the last few years? Looks like Marty is looking after his old chum to me.
If Lisa will follow…?
What will happen to the dog!? Won’t anyone think of the puppies?!
The dog actually had a job number attached to it, so much time it took up.
Still, this might save ANZ, not that you’d ever want to work in such a dog, perhaps the puppy represented something?
I’m sure Scott Whybin approves of this. One down one to go.
Toby was a bad cultural fit for TBWA. Too soft.
Great to see Toby back at DDB. What is the structure though now. I know Fackrell is regional CD based in Sydney. DOes that mean Toby and the saffer report into him. Or is Andy just in a window watching position.
Great jostling DDB. He’ll make a massive difference to Sydney.
Boothy for President?
Surely there is an app that writes these spin-fest press releases? Such gems as “The output across the region, not least in Australia, has been extraordinary and I am excited to be joining Dylan and the team” can’t have come from a rational human. I mean we all know that Dylan, Andy and anyone in a position of power at DDB Sydney are heading for a career at that iconic agency “Freelance” and it will be a blood-fest. I’m not for a moment suggesting that this is necessarily a bad thing but the über-positive spin on what will probably be an ad-land take on the “red wedding” is a signal for some serious “Spinal-Tap” like film treatment. There will be blood….probably everywhere.
“At Whybin\TBWA, we’re moving past optimising media placement to build a business model that optimises content itself.”
Good move Toby…and great to have you in Sydney! We will make you a West Sydney Wanderers season ticket holder yet!!!
All you clever people who are not anonymous here with your profuse praise… Good luck with Dave K remembering you once he’s in… No I don’t think you will get a job. Then on the other hand, Dave tends to build his one cronnies around him so… Maybe you guys know what you are doing.
TBWA was a rock and roll power house of creativity, and their creative work always fit their brand…thats problem now…wrong leadership for the brand.
Hope you can prove us wrong.
The Cynicist et al leave me feeling somewhat sickened. Lord knows what it’s doing to them though, for surely such toxic jealousy is right now clogging up their arteries.
My oh my, what you wouldn’t have given to have had Toby’s success, eh?
(And whilst we’re here, can we cease and desist with the red wedding/game of thrones analogies, aren’t they getting a little worn?)
before they do it to us! Oh wait…
What was the point of that comment? Praise given where praise is due. Nothing more expected from it.
how does commuting from NZ to run and OZ agency work? I wonder how long that will last?
Nice one Dave
Since when has TBWA been a powerhouse – they’ve been shit for ages.
Probably a great move for Toby apart from having to live in Australia.
One piece of advice – run Nathan run.
“We can’t be in the business of creating a narrow range of highly crafted media productions and expecting them alone to do the job for a brand.” is that a dig at toby?
Toby Talbot.