Ikon founder Simon White appointed to STW media chairman role, Dan Johns departs CEO role with Ikon Sydney MD Pat Crowley to fill position

STW Group, today announced that Ikon founder Simon White has been appointed to the newly created role of STW media chairman and Dan Johns (left) has resigned from his CEO role at Ikon.

Beginning immediately, White will oversee media agencies Ikon and Bohemia as chairman, while looking for new business opportunities, acquisition targets and growth potential in the media sector for STW both internationally and locally.

White has a long and distinguished career in media; he co-founded Ikon in 1999, which has since gone on to be one of the country’s most successful media agencies with a staff of more than 200. The business was sold to STW in 2010. In October 2011, he helped Brett Dawson and Chris Christofi launch Bohemia (AdNews’s best emerging agency 2012), along with STW.

Says White: “I am particularly excited about the opportunity for Ikon to now evolve and grow as it accelerates its capabilities as a leader in the new media world. Ikon remains a powerhouse in the media industry but there is still a raft of opportunities out there for expansion and further development of the group’s capabilities.”

White said as part of discussions about Ikon’s future focus, now former Ikon CEO Johns is considering his next step, which may well include a new venture within the STW Group.

Says White: “Dan has done a great job at creating a truly national approach at Ikon, bringing teams across offices together and setting up new ways of doing business. He goes with our best wishes and thanks, we are looking forward to the next chapter after Ikon with Dan.”

White said it was now an “opportune time to really look at the agency’s structure and direction, and what will best to sell our client’s products in the future.”

He said an exciting new appointment to Ikon’s management and direction would be announced soon. In the meantime, Pat Crowley, Ikon Sydney managing director will be acting CEO, backed by Simon Brock, CFO.

Ikon and Bohemia are part of STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications group.

Following this announcement White confirmed the changes at Ikon and addressed certain rumours.

Says White: “As to be expected, there is a frenzy of speculation and conspiracy theories doing the rounds. The reality though is very simple and logical, totally part of our plans, and here are the facts.

“First, Ikon is a great business in great shape, delivering deep value for a wide range of outstanding client organisations. Much of the credit for where Ikon is today rests with Dan Johns and his team.

“The most dangerous thing in business is a great last result. We are relentlessly evaluating what we do, how we do it, what our clients need today and tomorrow, and how to keep changing ahead of the market to ensure we keep leading the industry and delivering best possible value.

“That’s what we are doing now. We’re evolving the direction of Ikon to ensure we innovate and change faster than the competition and faster than client needs. We’re making a great organisation even better.

“Dan shared our view that now was the right time for new leadership to take Ikon to the next level. Dan steps down from this role with our respect, appreciation and a genuine intention to explore new partnership opportunities for Dan and STW.

“As part of this change of direction at Ikon, two of the Ikon leadership team also left the business yesterday. This was the right call to accelerate the change we want. At the same time, two mid level executives also departed. That’s normal cut and thrust of business, and again, our call.

“There is nothing else to say. It’s business as usual at Ikon, we’re working with total focus on our clients, we’re eagerly preparing to announce the new Ikon CEO within the near future, and we’re extremely optimistic and excited about the next phase of an Ikon journey of success built entirely on the success and results we’ve delivered to our clients, and our people. That’s the end of it. As they say in the classics, the caravan has left town but the dogs keep barking. We’re moving forward with pace and a very clear focus. No doubt the chatter and speculation will continue.”