Generational change at KWP! Adelaide

There’s a generational change going on at Adelaide-based agency kwp! The home of brands including Cooper’s Brewery, the Yalumba Wine Company and Tourism SA will see agency founders Andrew Killey and Peter Withy pass the management baton over to joint managing partners John Baker and Sylvia Mason (pictured above from left to right).

Baker and Mason – both long-term shareholders and members of the kwp!team – have been taking an increasing role in managing the [staffnumbers]-strong agency over the past few years.

Killey and Withyare returning to what they love and do best – developing ideas,strategies and relationships – unencumbered by managementresponsibilities. They’ll remain as directors of kwp! and will continueto have a hand in the development of agency policy.  They will bejoined on the Board by kwp! creative director, James Rickard;

Killeywill pass the role of chairman of kwp! to long-time director RossHaslam, who has served on kwp!s board as an independent director formore than 10 years and knows every facet of its business. Haslam – aformer partner in accounting firm Ferrier Hodgson – is also chair ofMichell Holdings Pty Ltd and past chair of Flinders Medical Centre.

Withyis also handing over his role of director of ideas to the formidablepartnership of James Rickard and Mat Rawnsley (Media).  

“Wefirmly believe that Media and Creative must be welded together in-houseto ensue the optimum delivery of the best ideas – and this willcontinue to be a vital part of our offering to clients,” say John Bakerand Sylvia Mason.

Killey and Withy say the changes are in linewith kwp!s succession planning process which has seen (amongst otherthings) the number of shareholders (all staff!) go from four to ninepeople and a formal affiliation with international advertising agencygroup TBWA in the past 12 months.

“The changes set two broaddirections for the company,” say Killey and Withy. “They give theagency fresh management, with new ideas to take kwp! and the SAadvertising industry into the future with vigour and continuedrelevance.  It also allows us as founding partners to apply ourpassion, experience and extra time to looking for and developing ideaswhich will create wealth for the agency’s clients and add strength totheir brands.

“These tenets have guided kwp! sinceestablishment 18 years ago – so from that perspective nothing’schanged.  At the same time, a lot of things have changed in the worldof advertising and we’re keeping pace with that by harnessing theenthusiasm and knowledge of the next generation.”

Kwp! hasgrown to become one of the State’s largest and most influentialadvertising agencies with clients including RAA, Coopers and TourismSA.