Just seven months into the job Saatchi & Saatchi NZ ECD Dylan Harrison fords the Tasman for DDB Sydney executive creative director role

CB Exclusive – Just seven months after taking the Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand ECD gig after a decade at DDB London, Dylan Harrison has quit to rejoin the DDB network as executive creative director of DDB Sydney.

Harrison, the multi-awarded Aussie expat who spent 13 year in London, 10 of them at DDB, part fills the role held by Matt Eastwood, who is soon heading to the chief creative officer role at DDB New York.

At DDB London Harrison picked up numerous awards for clients as diverseas Volkswagen, Marmite, Budweiser and the Guardian newspaper. Inaddition to three nominations and a Silver pencil at D&AD, he haswon at every major awards show, including gold at Cannes, The One Show,Clio, ANDY, Creative Circle, Campaign Press and Eurobest.

His print ad ‘Cops’ for Volkswagen won both the Grand Prix in Cannesand Eurobest, making it one of the most awarded print ads in history.He repeated the double Grand Prix honours again last year, scoopingboth the Eurobest and Epica top award for the Singing Dog’ TV spot for Volkswagen.

In February this year Melbourne-born Harrison (pictured left, between Saatchi Sydney’s CDDave Bowman and ECD Steve Back at the DDB Lunch inCannes in 2009), succeeded outgoing Saatchi’s ECD Mike O’Sullivan, who had left to form Droga5 New Zealand with Saatchi CEO Andrew ‘Rocky’ Stone.

Says Chris Brown, DDB Group Sydney’s managing director:  “This is fantastic news, it’s great to have a major talent like Dylan back in the DDB family. We attracted amazing candidates and Dylan was the pick of the bunch. As one of the most exciting and dynamic creative leaders in the industry, he’s perfect to build on our success and takes us to the next level.

“I had the pleasure of working with Dylan in London and he is a natural fit with our culture. He’s obsessed with the power of creativity in solving real business problems and creating an environment where world class ideas thrive.”

Adds Harrison: “DDB Sydney is an irresistible opportunity to join an agency at the top of their game. The team has great passion, energy and ambition and leading edge capabilities across all media. Mixed with DDB’s relentless pursuit of what makes people tick, we get those rare big, colourful and ridiculously engaging ideas.

“To partner with Chris and Leif Stromnes, MD of Strategy and Innovation, and inherit such a strong creative department is the perfect opportunity for me. With such an enviable client list in as innovative market as Australia, I simply couldn’t resist.”

Harrison will lead the enviable line-up of creative talent at DDB Sydney, including creative director Mark Harricks, creative director for McDonald’s Adam Rose, digital CD Matt Grogan and award winning senior team Steve Wakelam and Grant McAloon.

At Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, in the last year alone he has won the highly coveted Sanitarium business and worked closely with clients across the board, launching new brand work for Telecom, Tui beer, Weetabix and New Zealand Post to name but a few.

Says Marty O’Halloran, chairman and CEO, Australia and New Zealand:  “Chris Brown and I undertook an international search and are certain we found the best talent in the market. He gets we’re in the business of applied creativity, all the international awards he’s won have been solving the real issues that keep our clients awake at night. Dylan and Chris will be a great partnership continuing to drive the success of DDB Group Sydney.”