The Monkeys lures highly awarded DDB Sydney CCO Tara Ford to chief creative officer role
DDB Sydney CCO Tara Ford has joined The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive, as chief creative officer. The news comes following the announcement of The Monkeys co-founder and group CCO Justin Drape’s departure.
Ford (above) joins following a stellar creative period where she has produced award winning work at DDB Sydney across a range of blue chip clients including Westpac, Volkswagen and McDonald’s.
Ford joined DDB Sydney in July 2017 in the role of executive creative director and was promoted to CCO two years later. Prior to DDB Sydney, Ford was creative director at TBWA\Melbourne where she worked on the Cannes Lions Grand Prix winning ‘GAYTMs’ campaign for ANZ.
The Monkeys has been rapidly expanding since its acquisition by Accenture Interactive and after picking up a slate of new clients last year, including Audi, Tourism WA and the Super Retail Group.
Says Ford: “I’m excited to be joining one of the best and most progressive advertising brands in the country. I have a huge amount of respect for what The Monkeys has achieved and I can’t wait to help lead and drive its creative product even further into the future.”
Mark Green (above right), Accenture Interactive ANZ lead and group CEO of The Monkeys, says Ford has been “prolific” throughout her career: “Tara is one of the most outstanding creative leaders in ANZ and this has been recognised far and wide. Notably, Tara was named Creative Person of The Year at the 2020 Campaign Asia Awards.
“Besides that, Tara is a great personality and we are extremely pleased to welcome her to the team.”
The Monkeys co-founder and group CCO, Scott Nowell (above left), says the founders are looking forward to working with Ford having admired her work from afar: “Tara is an immense talent who makes the people around her better. We love her work, love how she goes about it, and look forward to seeing her bring that to The Monkeys.”
Says Ben Welsh, CCO, DDB Australia: “Tara is an exceptional creative and a natural leader. We thank her for everything she’s done during her time at DDB and we wish her all the best in her new role.”
35 Comments
So happy to see some diversity! Excellent stuff. More women in powerful roles please!
Tara is good, period! She got this role based on her talent, not her gender, like many others who are vying for leadership roles based solely on their gender or sexuality.
bet ddb didn’t see that coming
KWEEEEN! The more women in power the better! Gotta love that diversity!
Pretty sure Tara would hate f-ers like you. Get good, then be great. She’s awesome, not because she is a she.
Fantastic news, congratulations Tara.
She was already in power..
Congrats! Changes going to happen.
Exciting shake up. The most flawless hire. Congrats all.
Brilliant coup for The Monkeys. Tara is a fantastic creative leader as well as trail blazer par excellence. Brava!
👏👏👏👏👏
A creative force of nature + Monkeys = magic.
Can’t wait to see what that comes next.
A big network loss from NY
Some might say Monkey Magic
How many CCOs and ECDs does a medium-sized agency with just two offices honestly need? So the Sydney office itself will have two CCOs and an ECD? They win 20 new clients that we don’t know about or something?
They’re also part of one of the biggest consultancy’s globally. to think that Accenture bought them only for the impact they can have directly on Monkey’s clients is both dumb and naive…. jog on, i am sorry they overlooked your book or fired you.
Anything but medium my friend.
Geez, not sure why you’re so cornered about how the Monkeys hire. You just sound bitter.
Really, who cares how they did it? But rest easy, the Monkeys have been a successful business long enough and know what they are doing.
All I thought was what a an amazing team The Monkeys are building on.
Their work is already great. They have already done the campaign of the year. Things can only get better.
Well done Monkeys.
Can’t wait to see what Tara brings.
Such a grouch. Try reading the press release before spitting fire on positive news. It mentions how the Monkeys have picked up a slate of new clients.
Brilliant!
As well as her flair, she’ll bring some hair into the agency too.
What a coup. Great leader and a great home for her to flourish.
I worked there and loved it.But in response to the comment by Bitter? I would have to say in my time with The Monkeys it was all work for local clients,not Accenture global briefs.Maybe things have changing.Hope so for Tara.
The even better Marty. Marty H from Sydney. Unashamedly cheer leader in chief. #firstgentleman.
It’s a loss for DDB. No doubt. But those of us who have worked with and alongside her there wish her only success and good things in her new role.
What clients do Monkeys work on outside of Monkeys that Accenture have given them?
I love this for our industry. Hopefully better work across the spectrum, which means other clients will demand that. Which means our folios will be diamond hands. Well done Tars.
Congratulations Tara. What a fantastic new opportunity with exceptionally talented people. Have fun.
Wouldn’t be too concerned for DDB,they are in very good hands with the talented Mr Welsh at the creative helm.
… that just because a woman is in a senior role doesn’t mean she will be listened to. Not specifically targeted towards The Monkeys. Just gender box tickers in general.
This is just the Uber Eats ad but with agency execs.
Let’s presume Tara is on something north of $500,ooo you would expect her to have the ability and gravitas to make herself heard.
Would the Girls Club please stop whinging.
The fact that gendered discourse still arises (in any form or shape, good or bad) when a woman is hired in a top role, inherently suggests we aren’t there yet. And we aren’t. So chill out bro, no ones coming for you xoxo
Great hire Monkeys, Tara rocks. Great move Tara, Monkeys rock.
Have you even met Tara? When she speaks, people shut up and listen. It has nothing to do with gender.