New QLD Comms Council chair Andy Fyffe of Khemistry vows to bring local brands home

The new chairman of The Communications Council’s Queensland committee Andy Fyffe, founder and managing partner of integrated creative agency Khemistry, has announced one of his priorities will be bringing iconic Queensland brands back into the hands of local advertising agencies through fostering agency collaboration, encouraging related industry sectors to work together, and expanding the local talent pool.

Fyffe was appointed chairman on 9 March at the committee’s first 2015 meeting. He replaces former Queensland chair JuniorCru managing director Russ Vine who stepped down after three years in the role. Vine oversaw a range of successful initiatives for the council during his tenure, including the creation of the annual ‘Brisbannes’ event.

Building on his predecessor’s success, Fyffe said he has set an ambitious agenda, working to boost the local industry’s growth trajectory and helping Brisbane and Queensland consolidate their position as a global advertising and creative industries hotspot.

Says Fyffe: “I want us to win back iconic Queensland brands from interstate agencies, foster connections with other creative industries like software, gaming, film and television, and work with universities and other human capital producers to boost our local talent pool.

“I also want to see agencies strengthen our bonds with Queensland’s ‘start-up ecosystem’ so that home-grown ventures can take full advantage of local branding and marketing expertise. Queensland is not the world’s biggest market for creative services. How do we make this work to our advantage? By working together in ways that other regions can’t.

“I’m looking for ways we can ‘grow the pie’, not just slice it up differently. Let’s find opportunities where local agencies and other creative companies can work collectively on export development and market creation. And let’s make sure Queensland-based agencies are accessing their fair share of Australian Government contract opportunities.

“I believe we can achieve this by working together to foster a world-class creative industry cluster in South East Queensland, employing the dynamics of ‘co-opetition’ instead of competition to raise our standards and our profile ever higher.”

The Communications Council CEO Tony Hale welcomed the new chair for Queensland and expressed his confidence in Fyffe’s agenda.

Says Hale: “I am delighted to welcome Andy Fyffe as chair in Queensland and would like to thank Russ Vine for his leadership over the past three years. The Communications Council is committed to promoting the value of agencies, and I am confident that with Andy’s vision and drive the quality of creative work in Queensland will continue to be recognised among the marketing and business community.

“With growth high on the agenda, the attraction and retention of top talent is a key priority. This is a great opportunity for agencies to tap into the local creative community and invest in the professional development of bright graduates looking for creatively and strategically stimulating job opportunities.

“It is our goal to ensure our members are equipped to do so through the provision of world-class training opportunities from our raft of tailored AdSchool courses to our prestigious AWARD School program and our new internationally certified IPA program.”