AWARD chairman + ex-JWT ECD Mark Harricks joins The Works Sydney in creative partner role

Mark Harricks (right), one of the most awarded creatives in Australia, a former executive creative director at JWT and current chairman of AWARD, has joined The Works as creative partner.

The Works has enjoyed sustained business growth over the past 12 months and Harricks’ appointment further bolsters the agency’s unique creatives on the Forefront model that sees senior creative thinkers working directly with clients to deliver better results.

Harricks, who starts today, becomes the fifth creative partner at the independent agency alongside Damian Pincus (above, left), Kevin Macmillan, Douglas Nicol and Paul Swann.

He has worked at some of the most well known agencies in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Most recently ECD at JWT Sydney, where he oversaw a creative repositioning of the agency in addition to the launch of its Perth office and sitting on the JWT Australian and New Zealand board. He made a significant impact on the work this year with JWT becoming one of the most awarded agencies in Australia at Cannes. Prior to that he was creative director at DDB Sydney for almost three years helping grow it to become one of the biggest in the region. From 2001 to 2008 he was creative director at Clemenger BBDO Wellington which was the most highly awarded agency in the most highly awarded network (BBDO) at Cannes in 2007. He has also worked at FCB Sydney, George Patterson Bates Sydney and TBWA GGT Simons Palmer in London.

During his career he has received wide industry recognition including winning a highly coveted Cannes Titanium Integrated Lion in addition to D&AD, Clio, One Show and AWARD accolades. He is also the chairman of Australian Writers and Art Directors (AWARD) and has been on the national board for the Communications Council for the past two years.

Says Pincus: “Mark has an outstanding creative pedigree whose record speaks for itself. He consistently produces highly creative and effective work for clients and is a genuine creative on the forefront who fits in with our no bullshit and ambitious culture.

“We’re delighted that he has joined us as we embark on our next phase of growth. The past couple of years have seen us win more business and industry recognition than ever before and with Mark as a senior creative leader we look forward to that continuing.”

Says Harricks: “I’ve been watching The Works develop with interest over the past couple of years. It is an incredibly agile and entrepreneurial business, run by ambitious creative people. Their model means creatives can really get stuck in and address client business issues, this is reflected in the variety of work they produce. It will be my first stint at an independent and I look forward to joining them as they continue to grow.”

Harrick starts at The Works today.