Garry Horner set to head west to the executive creative director role at The Brand Agency, Perth

July 12 2010, 11:26 am | BY Kim Shaw | 36 Comments

Garry Horner-NEW.jpgCB Exclusive: Garry Horner, the former executive creative director of Whybin\TBWA Sydney, who departed the agency in early May (since replaced by Dave Bowman and Matty Burton) has been lured to Perth to take up the newly created ECD role at The Brand Agency, effective end of August.

Prior to arriving in Australia 14 years ago, Horner worked at London’s legendary creative powerhouses, Collett Dickenson & Pearce and WCRS, before joining DDB Sydney as creative director in 1996. Whilst there, the agency was named Campaign Brief Creative Agency of the Year twice, as well as runner up on several occasions.

Horner joins Brand from Whybin TBWA, where he helped to rejuvenate the agency’s creative reputation. Last year it was ranked the number one creative agency in Australia on the ‘Bestads’ web site, and number seven globally.

Horner’s move is part of a strategic restructure that will allowcurrent creative director Craig Buchanan to step back from creativemanagement to take a more hands on approach to his creative work.

“About six months ago Craig told me that he wanted to spend more timefocusing purely on producing great creative work by taking a more handson approach to ideas and craft.” The Brand Agency Managing Director,Steve Harris said. “This move will allow him to do that and at the sametime work with one of Australia’s most highly credentialled ECDs.”

“It’s an exciting time to be at The Brand Agency. I’m really lookingforward to working with Garry on improving our creative product,” saidBuchanan.

Buchanan will remain a creative director and will report to Horner whenhe takes over at the end of August. Horner will have fullresponsibility for the management and leadership of the creative teamand the quality and effectiveness of the Agency’s creative product.

“I was looking for a totally new and challenging opportunity and afterhaving spoken with the guys from The Brand Agency I soon realised I’dfound it,” said Horner.

“The Brand Agency is key player in the Perth market, with a very clearvision for where they want it to go. Naturally I’m really excited to bean integral part of that vision. The agency is very strong but there’sgreat potential to grow and be even stronger.”