After 10 months Fleet departs Palace associate CD gig for ECD role at Clemenger BBDO Adelaide
CB Exclusive – After only 10 months since arriving at The Campaign Palace, Sydney from Colenso BBDO Auckland, associate creative director Karl Fleet has returned to the BBDO fold, taking the ECD gig at Clemenger BBDO Adelaide – effective June 25.
Fleet takes the role held by Greg Knagge, who, together with creative partner Geoff Robertson, departed Clems Adelaide back in January, soon after forming their own shop, Nation.
Before The Palace, the multi-awarded Fleet has been at Colenso since March, 2008, joining from Publicis Mojo, Auckland.
Clemenger BBDO Adelaide managing director Kim Boehm said that Fleet’s appointment signifies the commitment the agency is making to take its creative product to a higher level.
“When we started our search for a new creative director, we wanted to find someone very special who could bring creative, cultural and generational change to our agency. We couldn’t have wished for a better person to do this than Karl,” said Boehm. “He is one of the world’s most awarded creative people and obviously that excites us, but more than that, we really love Karl’s positive attitude and passion.”
Fleet’s awards include 8 Cannes Lions, including back to back Gold, 14 Pencils at Award, Gold at The One Show, multi in books in D&AD and 5 back to back Gold Effie’s in New Zealand. He is the fourth highest ranked creative in the world on Bestads over the last decade and was named Campaign Brief’s top creative in Australasia in 2009.
Fleet said he understands that some people might be surprised in his decision to move to Adelaide after only ten months in Sydney, but this is an opportunity too good to refuse.
“I’m attracted to the role, the agency, the people, the city and the chance to rejoin the Clemenger BBDO network,” said Fleet. “I want to work with people who are passionate about creating work that their clients love and I think Clemenger BBDO in Adelaide has the people, the clients and the desire to do this. The next stage of my career is really important to me and I’m really excited about this opportunity.”
Clemenger BBDO national creative director James McGrath said that Fleet’s decision to join the agency was, for him, doubly satisfying: “We have wanted to get Karl back into the group since he left the creative powerhouse that is Colenso ten months ago and this is a wonderful opportunity for him and our agency in Adelaide. I’m delighted for our people and importantly, our clients in Adelaide. I know how much this appointment will mean to them.”
7 Comments
Nice one Fonzie.
That’s Sydney in the background there though, right?
I get the impression that the Palace is far, far from its glory days as the pre-eminent creative agency in Australia. Sadly for a once-great agency, Mr Fleet, whose standing in the industry demands respect, seems to have formed a similar opinion.
Great to work with you Karl. Good luck.
Jeffrey
Under Greg Knagge’s leadership, Clemenger Adelaide was the best shop in town. Mind you, considering it’s Adelaide and the standard of the competition, that’s not saying much.
Now that every headhunter in town, and a few from farther afield, have called TCP, one wonders whom will be the next ACD in the greatest advertising agency on William Street.
Please send CVs, books and reels to help@thecampaignpalace.com
Fleet was very fortunate to have worked under Worthington who is arguably one of the best creatives in the world, and very hands on. Karl is one of those lucky creatives who by default has earned a shitload of cred (awards) for execution so I can’t wait to see what he does as a creative leader. Good luck mate.