Andrew Scott returns to NZ to replace Whybin\ TBWA Auckland’s Todd McLeay as CEO; former Joy ECD Christy Peacock joins as new ECD

After eight years leading Whybin\TBWA Melbourne, Andrew Scott (near left) is returning home to New Zealand to lead the Auckland office together with Christy Peacock (far left) who has been appointed as the agency’s new executive creative director.

Scott and Peacock join a strong management team including David McIndoe (executive planning director), Che Tamahori (MD, Digital Arts Network), Robyn Budd (client services director) and Jean Arlove (chief operating officer).

Scott will be succeeding Todd McLeay, who has resigned from the agency, as CEO. Peacock will be filling the vacant ECD position after a six-month international search. McLeay will be working with both Scott and Peacock through a transition period and will finish up at the agency in November.

Says Paul Bradbury, CEO, Whybin\TBWA Australia and New Zealand: “I would like to thank Todd for his leadership and professionalism over the last three years.”

During his tenure at Whybin\TBWA Melbourne, Scott guided the agency through a strong period of growth. Staff numbers tripled; revenue more than doubled, winning major clients such as ANZ Bank, McCain, Origin and Medibank; the agency also saw a surge in creative rankings, including a Cannes Grand Prix for ANZ ‘GayTMs’. Most recently the Melbourne office was awarded Asia Pacific Agency of the Year at the New York Festivals.

Says Scott Whybin, chairman, Whybin\TBWA: “Scotty is a builder. He always has been. Perhaps it’s that entrepreneurial Kiwi thing, but Andrew is happiest when the business has almost unreasonable plans for growth ahead of it.”

Says Scott: “I’m excited about the opportunity to head back to New Zealand and Whybin\TBWA Auckland is a great agency with some outstandingly talented people. With the combination of the digital and UX offering of DAN (Digital Arts Network), our earned media offering via Eleven and the power of Disruption, we are in a great space.”

Peacock joins the Auckland office with outstanding credentials. Most recently he was with M&C Saatchi Sydney relaunching the Commonwealth Bank with the next phase of CAN, the ‘We could have been anything that we wanted to be’ campaign. Shortly before that he was executive creative director at Joy Australia and New Zealand, an agency he was instrumental in re-inventing from the ground up.

During his career Peacock has been head of art/creative director at Fallon in North America. Between the years 1998 – 2009 he was creative director at Publicis Mojo Melbourne and also creative director at DDB Melbourne. He’s also worked at several agencies in London including BMP DDB Needham and Mother.

Says Bradbury: “We are excited that Christy will be joining us to creatively lead our Auckland office. Fresh from delivering some damn fine work in financial services for M&C Saatchi, Christy is very aligned with us on what it will take to get Whybin\TBWA Auckland back to the top echelon of creative agencies in Asia Pacific. Christy has strong experience on Trans-Tasman accounts and had created some of the most effective tourism work in the world for Tourism Victoria and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

“Lots to build on and it’s going to be lots of fun to work with Andrew and Christy and the management team in Auckland over the next few years. Watch this space.”