CB Exclusive: R/GA Sydney snares ex-M&C Saatchi group CD Hamish Stewart for ECD role
CB Exclusive – R/GA Sydney has further strengthened its expanding executive team with the addition of Hamish Stewart as executive creative director.
Reporting into Jim Moffatt, EVP managing director APAC, Stewart will be responsible for developing and maintaining creative excellence within the agency across all accounts. An industry expert with over 20 years’ experience, Stewart joins R/GA from M&C Saatchi, where he held the role of group creative director.
Says Moffatt: “We look in every country across the globe to find the best creative talent, and we think Hamish is truly a world class talent. His diverse agency background, which includes extensive digital experience, makes him a great leader for the Sydney office, where he’ll be mentoring a creative team with myriad aptitudes. We can’t wait to have him on board.”
Since officially opening its doors in January 2013, R/GA’s Sydney office has grown to 37 in headcount and has enjoyed a period of steady growth, with continuous senior hires in both creative and technology disciplines. The office recently set up digital advertising, supported by the key hire of Sarah Marshall as associate creative director. The creative team also welcomes Phil Shearer as associate creative director, copy.
Says Gavin McLeod, executive creative director: “Phil started freelancing with us a couple of months ago and quickly became indispensable. We’re really happy that he chose to join the team full-time when the opportunity arose.”
The new appointments signal another major step in a significant period of strengthening for R/GA Sydney’s creative team.
Says Stewart: “For anyone with an interest in digital and innovation, R/GA is an amazing opportunity. I’m excited to join the team in Sydney to help build a powerful offering in the region. R/GA was one of the first agencies to really start thinking beyond advertising and I’m looking forward to exploring that potential.”
Prior to joining R/GA, Stewart also led Mark, M&C Saatchi’s digital, direct and data agency, as creative director. In that time, Mark rose to become one of the country’s most awarded digital agencies, with campaigns for clients including Google, Purina, and Noise, winning awards at all major shows, including D&AD, Cannes, One Show Interactive, Webby’s, Spikes Asia, London International, IAB MIXX, FWA and Kinsale Sharks. In 2013, the Gunn Report named Google’s Build with Chrome the fourth most awarded digital campaign in the world.
Stewart is a well-known industry figure with strong experience in direct and digital. He has been a regular judge at award shows such as AWARD Digital, The John Caples Awards, IAB Creative Showcase and the ADMA Awards, including as chair of creative judges for direct and digital.
24 Comments
Massive congrats Hamish. R/GA are lucky to have you mate.
One of the nicest and most talented achievers in the business.
A great coup for R/GA.
Awesome news Hamish, well done mate.
Big congrats to Hamish & Phil – both top talent and awesome guys.
Congrats Hamish!
Great hire Gav. And congrats H. Brilliant.
Epic Hire RGA! congrats Hamish
Go get em, mate. And have fun.
Go Phil
Great news Gav. Congrats Hamish and Phil. That’s awesome that the three of you are together again.
Congrats Hamish and Phil! Double goodness for R/GA!
Congrats Hamish. A great move.
Reunited.
Nice one Gav.
The quietly spoken achiever. Congratulations Hamish and R/GA.
Well played and well deserved.
So does R/GA Sydney now have three ECDs?
You’ll struggle to meet a nicer guy than Hamish, a great bloke and a great hire
What accounts do RGA have?
So, i know this is about Hamish, and he’s a legend, which i no one will refute – but how come no one is talking about the recent brain drain at M&C.
Lots of New BIz seemingly coming through the door (up $18m this year allegedly) and some high profile “well” publicised hires but how comes no one is talking about the senior/decent people that are walking?
Seems to me like that maybe all is shiny isn’t gold??
Discuss.
Well done and well deserved Hamish. I wish I had your calmness of resolve and clarity of thinking.
All the best.
P
Does that mean the developer/ecd/poindexter from NY is going back to the states?
Congratulations Hamish. A long way from AWARD school days!! All the best, Guy (Jock)
haha
Congrats, Hamish.
might have to go there to get another cd title on my biz card. book me in!