Second senior creative departure from Meerkats, Perth as creative director Paul Coghlan resigns

Creative Director and shareholder Paul Coghlan has resigned from Perth creative agency Meerkats. He is the second senior creative to resign from the agency after co-CD Dan Bradley announced his resignation last week.

Campaign Brief understands Coghlan (left) resigned before Bradley but delayed making an announcement while the terms of his departure were finalised.

Coghlan said it was time for a new challenge: “I’ve had a great nine years with Meerkats. I’ve created some award-winning work that I’m proud of, worked with some brilliant people, been part of three CB Agency of the Year wins, and helped build the agency to where it is today. But it’s time to move on and I’m really excited about the next chapter.”

Coghlan began his career at Clemenger BBDO in Melbourne, before he made the move to WA in 2006. Following brief stints at 303 and Saatchi & Saatchi NZ, he returned to Perth and joined Meerkats in 2008.

One of Perth’s most highly regarded creatives of the last decade, Coghlan has been responsible for award-winning work across a number of clients, including Brownes Dairy (the recent Effie-nominated and CB Integrated Campaign of the Year Natural Silence, among others), Lotterywest, Murdoch University, and HBF as well as helping to launch P&N Bank into WA.

He was also a key contributor in winning the Brownes Dairy and Synergy accounts for the agency.

Coghlan has risen through Meerkats as Senior Writer, Deputy Creative Director and latterly Creative Director of the advertising and comms side of the creative department. He has been a regular tutor for AWARD School, sits on the National Sirens Creative Council and has nurtured young Kats in the agency’s FuturKats program.