CB Exclusive: DDB Sydney CCO Toby Talbot refocuses creative department with new hires

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DDB New Creatives Jan 2015.jpgCB Exclusive: DDB Sydney’s creative department has welcomed a number of impressive new additions over the past seven months as Toby Talbot, the agency’s chief creative officer, looks to reform the creative offering from the prominent communications agency.

 

Talbot’s mission, since joining the agency mid-last year, has been threefold: create a rich seam of tech prowess throughout the department, introduce a bench of creative partners to lead the creative charge and future proof the agency with talented junior teams.

Says Talbot: “We are already blessed with some great talent at DDB Sydney. However I firmly believe that creative departments need tech at their heart, as well as the right balance of experience and youth.”

 

Peter Galmes, a key creative director at Whybin\TBWA Sydney, joined the DDB Sydney ranks as creative partner and has already led a number of pivotal new campaigns expected from the agency in 2015.

 

Galmes has numerous accolades under his belt including six Gold Lions and seven Spikes. Prior to working at Whybins, he was one of the key players in driving the digital resurgence at Saatchi and Saatchi in Australia. His direction ultimately saw the agency win back-to-back awards for Australian Agency of the Year and Agency of the Decade.  

 

Says Talbot: “Pete is a force of nature. His combined digital and creative aptitude led him to start his own agency, Southpaw, which championed strategic thinking and digital innovation in New York. He was Matty and Dave’s right hand man at Whybin Sydney. And to top it all off, he and another new addition, Shaun ‘O Connor are already a proven force together having worked together at Whybin\TBWA. I expect the renewed partnership to reach even giddier heights at DDB.”

Shaun O’Connor, recently at Publicis Mojo Sydney, has taken up the role of creative tech director. Recognised for his innovative work on celebrated brands such as Nike, Heineken, McDonald’s and Volkswagen, he has also won a swag of metal including Gold Cannes Lions, D&AD Yellow Pencils and AWARD Golds.

 

Says Talbot: “Shaun has been involved in some of the most successful digital campaigns that have come out of Australia in recent years and is perfect to lead the charge for DDB Sydney on this front – I am already delighted with some of the work he has brought to the table.”

 

Working into O’Connor are two exciting new tech teams, senior integrated team Brendan Ho and Shane Geffen (formerly Metropolitan Republic in South Africa) and junior tech team, Salah Ben-Brahim (digital art director, formerly JWT NZ) and Trong Ronakiat (copywriter, formerly Barnes, Catmur & Friends, NZ).

 

In addition, senior art director Jade Manning from Saatchi Sydney has reunited with his old partner from Hunt Lascaris days, Vincent Osmond who had a huge year at Cannes 2014 and joined DDB from the Johannesburg agency.

 

Three junior teams have also being added to the creative department in recent months.*

 

Says Talbot: “Moving forward as a creative agency, these are the guys you want on the front line. They will drive creative thinking in a new direction.”

 

Says Nicole Taylor, managing director, DDB Sydney on the rebooted creative department: “DDB Sydney has long been a dominant creative force in the region however, as the needs of our clients, our business and the consumer shifts, we have brought on this key talent to ensure we continue to lead the category and this change.

 

“Creativity, in terms of technology, has evolved almost beyond expectation. We have invested heavily on discovering where we need to be and where we need to go as a creative agency. We’re a new management team at DDB Sydney and this is a whole new creative offering to match our ambitions. We’re setting ourselves up for a cracking 2015.”

 

*Junior teams include:

·   Art Director, Ellie Jones and Copywriter, Avani Mann

·   Art Director, Anna Paine and Copywriter, Owen Bryson

·   Art Director, Hannah King and Copywriter Sam Pascoe