Saatchi & Saatchi New York CEO Brent Smart and CCO Jay Benjamin depart for new adventures

Saatchi & Saatchi has announced a change in leadership in its New York office, with Aussie expat CEO Brent Smart, a former CEO at Colenso BBDO Auckland and CCO Jay Benjamin, a former co-ECD at Leo Burnett Sydney, leaving the agency effective September 1st.

Says Smart: “Jay and I started this journey of reinventing Saatchi New York together as partners, and we’ve decided to finish as partners, as we both leave the agency to pursue other opportunities. For me personally, after five years with the agency it’s time for a change, and the time is right to do that now with the right succession in place, which is something we’ve been talking about for a while.”

Says Benjamin (above right with Smart): “I’m incredibly proud of the team at Saatchi & Saatchi New York, and especially of being named Creativity’s Comeback Agency of the Year. It’s been a true labor of love and an honor to work with such an amazing roster of brands. I’m very excited for what’s next for myself and for the agency. The view was pretty good too.”

Andrea Diquez, current president of the New York office will assume the role of CEO, effective immediately, while continuing in her leadership role on P&G.

Javier Campopiano, previously CCO of Latin America for Saatchi & Saatchi, will partner with her as the new CCO in New York as of September 1st.

Diquez was named president in late 2015, charged with day-to-day agency operations and client relations, along with running the global Olay account for Procter & Gamble. Diquez began her career at Saatchi & Saatchi New York in 1995 and has held a variety of regional and global roles, including leading some of the agency’s most famous work on Tide. She was named CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Mexico in 2011 and returned to New York in August 2013 to run the Olay business as EVP Global Director.

Campopiano has 20 years of global industry experience and was most recently CCO at FCB NY prior to re-joining Saatchi in 2014. A globally recognized talent, Campopiano has been awarded over 30 Cannes Lions throughout the course of his career including an Outdoor Grand Prix.

Says Robert Senior, CEO Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi: “We greatly appreciate the vision and passion that Brent and Jay have brought to the agency during their time here and we thank them for their contribution. We’re looking forward to the next chapter of Saatchi NY under Andrea and Javier’s leadership as we continue to focus on the success of our clients.”

Prior to joining Saatchi & Saatchi NYC in 2011, Smart spent seven years with BBDO. He ran Colenso BBDO in New Zealand, one of the network’s most creative agencies, then transferred to the States to head up BBDO’s west coast operations as managing director of BBDO San Francisco. Across both agencies he led a body of award winning work that won over 20 Cannes Lions and 40 Effies. Smart, together with ECD Nick Worthington, was the driving force behindColenso BBDO’s success at that time, including winning CampaignBrief’s NZ Agency of the Year title in 2008.

New York-born, Benjamin got his first break with then partner Andy DiLallo, at Bozell New York under David Nobay, who then brought the pair to Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney in 2003. DiLallo is now CCO at M&C Saatchi, Sydney and Nobay is creative chairman of Marcel Australia.

Benjamin is known as a new breed of creative leader whose body of work transcends mediums and blurs the lines between advertising, entertainment, art and utility. Prior to joining Saatchi NYC in April 2014, Benjamin was chief creative officer at Leo Burnett New York and previously co-ECD of Leo Burnett Sydney, leaving for New York in December 2009. Benjamin previously spent several years at both Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney – playing a part in three CB Agency of the Year wins – and two NZ Agency of the Year wins for Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland.