ROSS GOLDSACK RETIRES FROM Y&R

Executive Chairman of Y&R New Zealand has today announced his retirement from Y&R.

This announcement is the culmination of a succession plan put in place by Goldsack soon after he moved to Auckland in 2003 to lead the Y&R business in New Zealand.

In 2005 Ross hired Jon Ramage to become CEO and since that time the two have worked as a team and the business has enjoyed year on year growth.

“I have been in this business long enough to realise that most agency businesses go through a huge amount of turmoil when the CEO departs,” said Goldsack. “Not enough agency principals understand the importance of having a succession plan, especially in a talent-critical industry, worked out well beforehand.

 “I am leaving a business in very good heart,” said Goldsack. “Jon is a very talented individual and is surrounded by very good people. It was always my plan that when I left the business there would be minimal disruption.  The team is in place and under Jon’s leadership Y&R will continue to go from strength to strength.”

CEO Jon Ramage adds: “Ross is the reason I came to Y&R.  His high integrity approach, coupled with business and strategic smarts have laid the foundation for the agency we are today. From the outset we planned for this time and he leaves us in great shape.  He’s been an inspiring mentor and partner and a genuine friend.  We’ll miss really him.”

Goldsack is moving to the UK in late October to look after the running of a NZ-based business (in which he has a significant shareholding) involved in the global super yacht industry and he plans to base himself there for the next 6 – 12 months.

He leaves the agency at the end of September.