Russel Howcroft to take on national CEO role at GPY&R, Julie Porter set to leave later this year
Nigel Marsh, CEO of Y&R Brands has announced the appointment of Russel Howcroft as National CEO of George Patterson Y&R.The move is part of a restructuring of the senior management of the four GPY&R offices which will see Howcroft lead a new national management board and follows the decision by Sydney md Julie Porter to return to her corporate advisory practice at the end of the year.
"No one has a greater knowledge of, and passion for, the Patts brand than Russel", says Marsh. "He has done a spectacular job in rebuilding the Melbourne office so promoting him to run all four offices was the natural next step.
"I believe that under Russel's national leadership and with greater
collaboration between our four offices, Patts is extremely well placed
for the future", says Marsh.
One of the country's best known and busiest advertising executives, Howcroft has also been active in industry issues as former chairman of the AFA, and is currently on the boards of the Melbourne Football Club, the Melbourne International Arts Festival and is a regular media commentator.
But the GPY&R national role fulfils a long-held and cherished ambition. "It's the dream job for me, running the oldest and most successful Australian agency brand. I love working with Nigel and to be appointed in Patts 75th year is an unbelievable honour. "
"I have a vision for the Patts brand that will see it flourish. We intend to tune up these businesses to perform even better, with a collective focus on being great for our clients. Everybody look out".
Of her decision to leave, Porter said: "The past year has been amazingly challenging, but I believe GPY&R Sydney now has a new sense of purpose, momentum and direction that it can easily build on," says Porter. " We have had to take some really tough decisions, but over the past few months we have seen significant benefits emerging. The agency has won 10 pieces of new business and there is some outstanding creative currently in production. We are now in the position to attract the best and brightest to a business that is home to some truly great quiet achievers."
Marsh said he was disappointed at Porter's decision to move on, given the significant difference she had made to the business. "I asked Julie to do the near impossible and she has achieved everything, and more, in record time. She is a truly class act. Her experience, energy and obvious skills, particularly in the area of creating behavioural change, have helped both the agency and our clients."
Marsh will announce the new office management structure shortly.
UPDATE: HOWCROFT NAMES MCDONALD TO BUILD GPY&R SYDNEY REVIVAL
George Patterson Y&R national CEO Russel Howcroft has named Phil McDonald as the new managing director of the agency's Sydney office.
McDonald transfers from GPY&R Brisbane which he took over three years ago following a stint in Asia running Leo Burnett's agencies in Singapore and Bangkok, at the time the two most creatively awarded offices in the Burnett global network. His efforts in Brisbane saw the agency double in size as well as seriously improving its creative profile.
"Phil is fast, tenacious, lovable and very, very good at the ad business. He and his team built the lead agency in our network for digital innovation and I know they have very solid relationships with their clients. I expect he'll repeat the process in Sydney, and be a great success." says Howcroft.
McDonald noted the recent progress in turning around Sydney, which combined with the energy and momentum of Brisbane and Melbourne, positioned the agency for a new phase of growth.
"And I want all of our clients and all of our people at GPY&R to be the first beneficiaries of this. Russel and I get on like a house on fire and we share a common understanding of what this business is about - this is going to work very, very well."
One of the country's best known and busiest advertising executives, Howcroft has also been active in industry issues as former chairman of the AFA, and is currently on the boards of the Melbourne Football Club, the Melbourne International Arts Festival and is a regular media commentator.
But the GPY&R national role fulfils a long-held and cherished ambition. "It's the dream job for me, running the oldest and most successful Australian agency brand. I love working with Nigel and to be appointed in Patts 75th year is an unbelievable honour. "
"I have a vision for the Patts brand that will see it flourish. We intend to tune up these businesses to perform even better, with a collective focus on being great for our clients. Everybody look out".
Of her decision to leave, Porter said: "The past year has been amazingly challenging, but I believe GPY&R Sydney now has a new sense of purpose, momentum and direction that it can easily build on," says Porter. " We have had to take some really tough decisions, but over the past few months we have seen significant benefits emerging. The agency has won 10 pieces of new business and there is some outstanding creative currently in production. We are now in the position to attract the best and brightest to a business that is home to some truly great quiet achievers."
Marsh said he was disappointed at Porter's decision to move on, given the significant difference she had made to the business. "I asked Julie to do the near impossible and she has achieved everything, and more, in record time. She is a truly class act. Her experience, energy and obvious skills, particularly in the area of creating behavioural change, have helped both the agency and our clients."
Marsh will announce the new office management structure shortly.
UPDATE: HOWCROFT NAMES MCDONALD TO BUILD GPY&R SYDNEY REVIVAL
George Patterson Y&R national CEO Russel Howcroft has named Phil McDonald as the new managing director of the agency's Sydney office.
McDonald transfers from GPY&R Brisbane which he took over three years ago following a stint in Asia running Leo Burnett's agencies in Singapore and Bangkok, at the time the two most creatively awarded offices in the Burnett global network. His efforts in Brisbane saw the agency double in size as well as seriously improving its creative profile.
"Phil is fast, tenacious, lovable and very, very good at the ad business. He and his team built the lead agency in our network for digital innovation and I know they have very solid relationships with their clients. I expect he'll repeat the process in Sydney, and be a great success." says Howcroft.
McDonald noted the recent progress in turning around Sydney, which combined with the energy and momentum of Brisbane and Melbourne, positioned the agency for a new phase of growth.
"And I want all of our clients and all of our people at GPY&R to be the first beneficiaries of this. Russel and I get on like a house on fire and we share a common understanding of what this business is about - this is going to work very, very well."
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Don't you just want to put him in a headlock and squeeze his face until it pops, but in a good way? Screw shiny shoes and firm handshakes, I like my management to wear their suits and shirts like a high school student. Love ya Russ!
Why is this creative news? The guy's a suit.
Aaaah yes 10:53 but what a suit!!
why is this creative news??? 10.53 you have to be joking. one of Australia's greatest advertising brands has a new CEO who is an ad man through and through. Do you just want CEO news on Sean Cummins or Neil Lawrence then heh?
He wanted the job before he took the Melbourne gig so this is no surprise. It'll be interesting to see if he moves back to Sydney or tries to run the show from Melbourne.
LOL
What a change a few years makes. Sydney tried to get their claws into Y&R Melbourne since way before the merger, now it's the other way round.
By the way, well done Russ, Melbourne has been a tough gig and you managed pretty well.
Russ has what the place desperately needs. Leadership.
If he can make the network a third as good as the Melbourne office, it might shake up the network rankings in a big way.
Who would of thought, a day when PATTS is a force again??
Good luck Russ, go hard you little terrier!!
What I find fascinating is how we are meant to be the brand experts. We are meant to be advising clients on how to build and extract value from their brands. And, then, we pull off the most strategically confused and venal of brand mergers. GPY&R. What? Who? If we don't practice expertly what we preach, why should anyone listen? Um, clearly, they are not.
The article has a very similar vibe to this 2006 CB post:
"MACKAY TAKES TOP JOB AT GEORGE PATTS Y&R"
http://campaignbrief.blogspot.com/2006/10/mackay-takes-top-job-at-george-patts.html
It didn't work out then, but perhaps things have changed and there a genuine desire at the top to turn the place around.
Good luck, it would be great to see Patt's Sydney as a force again.
That's awesome news for the network.
If you've ever worked with Russell you'll know he's going to be bouncing off the walls to do great creative work from the start.
He'll also talk a lot of AFL bollocks about the Dees... which is uncalled for and delusional.
Once again, Jay you prove to all and sundry what a complete dick you are.
Presumably with your head so far your arse, you can see the next gleaming turd that's lined up for the Blog. Can't wait to read it. Meanwhile, stick to the scammies.
I'm a creative and I found Russ to be one of the best leaders I have worked for. Both creative and suit.
Jay, you're proving to be quite a tool, aren't you? By your logic, creatives single-handedly run the advertising business and noone else has any interest in it.
Fantastic, we have to stop these creative people from climbing the ranks.
http://campaignbrief.blogspot.com/2006/10/mackay-takes-top-job-at-george-patts.html
There's some funny shit in the comments there, Coulson a CD?
LOL
Muntz a CD?!?!?
LOL
National creative leadership???
It's what GPY&R needs more than anything, there is an unbelievable difference in quality of product in Melbourne to all other offices.
I blogged the other day "advertising is a business that uses creative, not the other way around"
Good an you Jay.....now shut up
CAN THE REAL JAY PLEASE STAND UP....Jay is not Jay F or Jay B at Leo's SO WHO IS THIS Jay and what has he done? ....come on Jay do tell....we are awaiting your waterfall of gongs, knowledge and wonderment.
Congrats Russel and well deserved...only wish it was at Burnett's just so you could give one to Sampson good and proper....someone needs to pull him inline.
Good luck Rus.
About time.....
Not my Jay either..... so come on, own up punk.
Say what you like about Russ, but Gruen has been the smartest move he ever made.
Only a fool would doubt he's got what it takes.
Hey, no fair, Julie talked a lot about doing good work.
If Russ and Todd had a fight wearing lycra body suits who come out on top?
Look at the pitch list at the moment and how many time Patts is listed under 'incumbent'. Big job ahead.
Russ will be bloody brilliant for the agencies in Oz. He's a great creative suit and a great leader.
Phil is going to head up Sydney and will do an equally impressive job. Another great creative suit and top bloke.
So that means nationally the agency is going to get its act together.
Melbourne will continue to be great. Sydney will be great.
I would say that you lot in Sydney better look out. Nigel, Rus and Phil have got their shit together and are about to take your business.
LOL? LOL.
About bloody time. Onya Russ!
Russ and I worked together at Lowe Howard-Spink in London a long time ago. He was an impressario then and he remains one today. He has an uncanny knack of getting the best out of those around him, mainly because he actually cares about them - and his clients. Decent bloke, does well. Result.
Chris Palengat? What are you doing up already?
Must catch up re: that damned Frog......and oh yeah, Well done Russ, hope you go well plugging all those holes!
Whichever Jay it is, he's off target. (The only Jay I know is too smart to be behind that comment.)
The point is, yes, Russel is a suit. But he's actually a very creative suit.
The role he plays on Gruen, and it is a role, is to be the professional ad man who explains how and why things are done a certain way in the ad business. Russel subdues his natural creative bent to give Sampson and others the space to freewheel.
It's just another example of his ability to adapt to situations for the sake of the end result.
Gruen works because of him; Patts will work better with him in a national role.
Methinks the Jay that used to work for Rusty doesn't even bother posting, he just calls people direct.