Management buyout of Kastner in Sydney sees the launch of new agency O’Shea & O’Brien
Kastner & Partners in Sydney, founded by Darryn Devlin in 2002, who departed in late 2009, has been taken over by Kath O’Shea and Ben O’Brien (pictured left), previous local partners in the Australian arm of the Kastner network.
The new agency name is O’Shea & O’Brien, or less formally, O&O. O’Shea is the managing director and O’Brien is the executive creative director. O&O has been contracted to continue work with both Kastner & Partners International and Red Bull Australia, as the retained agency.
The foundation clients of O&O include Red Bull, Air Niugini and the Centro Shopping Centre Group.
Says O’Shea: “It’s a great privilege to continue our long term partnership with Red Bull… indeed, O&O is absolutely delighted to kick off with such a robust and interesting set of foundation clients, and new business clients yet to be announced. We are in a very strong position for future growth.”
Says O’Brien: “Clients are finding our unique Fire Model very interesting. Our mission is to create lifelong fanatics for brands, which drives all the work we create. We’re very excited about some of the ideas we have in the pipeline, across a wide range of media.”
The management buyout in Sydney comes as part of a global change made by Kastner & Partners Worldwide. Kastner & Partners in Mexico, Kastner & Partners in Cape Town, and now Kastner & Partners in Sydney are no longer part of the network, bringing the total number of global offices down from eleven to eight.
Says Thomas Grabner, chief executive officer, Kastner & Partners Worldwide: “We are looking forward to working with Kath & Ben at O’Shea & O’Brien in the future as they will continue working on the Red Bull account as our ‘new’ partner agency. The network changes were made in order to match Red Bull centralising their marketing efforts. It makes sense for a small network like us to focus on fewer markets and to avoid extensive geographical distances. We are very happy that we are able to give Kath and Ben the chance to manage their very own agency. We look forward to working with them in the future as much as we did in the past.”
The new O’Shea & O’Brien agency has moved from K&P’s old Pyrmont premises to new Chippendale premises. The agency will be announcing other new business wins in weeks to come.
29 Comments
Congratulations guys – that’s great news.
Awesome news… good luck in your new venture.
Congrats guys! Wishing you all the very best.
Brav’o.
Tough time to start an agency. But you’d have to be a bastard not to wish you luck.
Awesome news Kath and Ben, congratulations and we are super excited to watch this space as more businesses embrace your Fire Model …..
Warm Regards
Brand2Content Crew
Congratulations Kath and Ben, you make a great team.
Congratulations… couldn’t happen to two nicer people!
That’s great news Ben. Congratulations mate.
Kill ’em, NTBOB!!!
Isn’t it nice when people who are smart and nice win. Bravo you two.
Great news and Congrats ! Go Go Go….
O O
You guys rock. Congratulations.
Great news, congrats B and K!
Congrats K and B! awesome news.
Having worked with Kath in the past, her business nous, integrity and smarts will guarantee success in the new venture. Congrats.
Great news to you both. All the best Ben.
Nice work O&O!! All the best, very happy for you both!
Two of the nicest people in the business …..
You’ll go great!
Congrats Ben!
Go get em tigers. xxx
Congrats OBs!! Hay fayv
Always great to see more people with the guts to start their own business.
They’re the industry’s real risk-takers.
Tough time to start an agency. But you’d have to be a bastard not to wish you luck.
Yeeeww! Nice one Ben!
go kath!
Congrats O’s
Kath, have you read A Catcher In The Rye yet? it was a loaner!!!