NZ shake-up as Toby Talbot set to take CCO reins from Andy Blood at Whybin\TBWA, Auckland; CEO David Walden set to depart by end of 2013
Toby Talbot, who resigned from the ECD role at RKCR/Y&R London in December after less than a year to return to New Zealand, is about to take the chief creative officer – and co-managing – role at Whybin\TBWA Auckland.
Believed to be a long time in the planning, current ECD Andy Blood (below left) is moving on after nearly nine successful and multiple Cannes awarded years in the role. His plans are yet to be revealed, although CB hears he might consult to TBWA on international projects.
Also departing, after16 years in the role, is founding CEO David (Devo) Walden, who will be retained as a consultant. His replacement, which CB believes to be from the client-side, will be announced any day, once contracts are signed.
On Blood’s watch, the agency, which before his arrival from Saatchi & Saatchi, Auckland, had won only one international award, picked up 2 Cannes Grand Prix, 15 Lions, 1 D&AD Yellow pencil, 6 One Show pencils, a Grand Clio, AWARD Silvers and Bronzes, SPIKES’ Silver and Bronzes, 6 Young Guns bullets, and ADFEST Innova, Silver and Bronzes.
Before joining RKCR/Y&R London in January last year Talbot was group ECD at DDB New Zealand.
At Christmas Talbot told CB that his family was homesick for NZ: “I can’t exactly commute from Auckland! Got some nice work away for the BBC and have several exciting projects finished in January and February but also focusing on an exciting opportunity in NZ.”
Originally from the UK, Talbot had been in New Zealand for the previous fifteen years, working at Colenso BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi and DDB New Zealand.
11 Comments
Great to have yo on board you old testicle x
Let’s tear some shit up together.
Love your hairy bum friend from across the ditch.
Gutted for Blood. He’s done great work there.
Devo and Andy have been pushed out in favour of Talbot and the new CEO.
To be fair it has been an awful long time since anything good came out of TBWA. Shake up needed.
Devo will start and again and blitz the market.
Big shoes to fill. Big feet to fill them.
Devo is retiring at the end of the year mate, it’s been well documented and Andy is staying in the network.
Hardly enough, more like a pretty good looking succession plan I’d say.
Blood and Devo were great, no doubt…but time for a change. NZ should get interesting again! And let’s face it, TT has a pretty good track record!
He ambushed Sydney when the work was recently good (with positive results).
He pounces upon Auckland when the work was recently good (with hopefully positive results).
He ignores Melbourne, when the work is recently awful.
Lesson? Be awful.
Good luck in your next move Bloodster and all the best Devo.
they’re cut throat them pirates
The Dark Prince ignores his back yard:
This bloke probably ran the last race at Randwick with blinkers on, he/she comments like a surface skimming water beetle. Because he/she shows a total lack of understanding of the ad industry in Australia/NZ
The Melbourne office of Whybin’s has supported both Sydney and Auckland for years, who created the famous ASB bank Goldstein campaign? (Melbourne), who supported Sydney when it was not performing? (Melbourne) Where has the drive to make the Whybin agencies one of the most successful Trans-Tasman agency groups? (Melbourne) Who has produced some of the best campaigns over the past year? (Nissan, ANZ ‘rated as one of their best campaigns ever’, The Age, etc. etc.) Melbourne, Which office has won some of the largest accounts to move last year? (Melbourne). This individual has no understanding of the Ad industry. I know many agencies that would kill to have the Dark Prince on board; maybe The Dark Prince commentator has a touch of the tall Poppy Syndrome?
I do not work for Whybin, I do take a keen interest in the industry.