Brand design consultancy Elmwood strengthens Melbourne leadership line-up and expands in Asia

The world’s most effective brand design consultancy, Elmwood, has announced a new management structure in its Australian office as well as the opening of a new office in Hong Kong.

Since opening its doors in Australia back in 2004 with a team of two, Elmwood’s Melbourne office has grown to 30 today. This significant growth has been in direct response to an ever-growing client base, which comprises a who’s who of the nation’s leading FMCG, corporate and retail businesses.

Lead by newly promoted managing partners Lyndal Kearney and Tony Charlton, Elmwood’s new management team in Melbourne comprises a mix of leading talent spanning every business department – including design, strategy, production, account management, finance and HR.

Importantly, the new structure also sees the welcome addition of two highly respected industry non-executives, Chris Kimberly and Gal Shivtiel.

New non-executive chairman, Kimberly, is a familiar face within the Australian creative community and joins Elmwood with more than 20 years of brand strategy and management experience (at the likes of JWT, Y&R and DDB) to his name.

Says Kimberly: “I’m so pleased to be advising a company with such talented young staff – all with fire in their bellies. They’re accountable for using design and brand strategy to make a difference to their clients’ bottom line and I like that.”

New non-executive director of retail, Shivtiel, is a polished retail industry performer who has worked in high profile international roles at ASDA (UK), Coles Myer, Wesfarmers Group, and now heads up his own full-service marketing agency, Great Ideas Group.

Says Shivtiel: “Clients the world over are looking to get better ROI from their agency spend, so it’s very exciting to be working closely with the Elmwood teams across Australia and Asia – some of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world.”

Having taken out Australia’s only Design Lion at Cannes in 2012, Elmwood Australia is looking forward to another successful year and continued growth lead by its new management team in 2013.

In global news, Elmwood has also recently opened a new studio in Hong Kong to support development of its client relationships and ever-increasing opportunities within the Asian market. This adds to the agency’s offices in Leeds, London, Melbourne, New York and Singapore.

(Pictured L-R: Gal Shivitel, Agnes Yen, Phil Curlis-Gibson, Tony Charlton, Lyndal Kearney, Chris Kimberly, Harley Augustine, Sam Gill, Helen Knight, Blair Triplett)