Aussie expat Jon Bird set to replace Aden Hepburn as regional CEO of VMLY&R Australia and NZ
WPP AUNZ has announced that VMLY&R global commerce leader Jon Bird will be relocating back to Australia from New York to take up the role of regional chief executive officer of VMLY&R Australia & New Zealand, commencing early July.
Currently VMLY&R’s global chief retail and commerce officer, Bird (above left) will take the reins from present CEO Aden Hepburn (above right), who has resigned and will transition out of VMLY&R full-time over the next several months. After over 15 years with the network, and 12 months bringing VML and Y&R together, Hepburn will take a break from the business.
WPP AUNZ interim CEO John Steedman said the team was excited about Bird’s imminent arrival back to Australia to lead VMLY&R as it continues to deliver a contemporary, fully integrated digital and creative offering to its clients: “We’re thrilled to have someone of Jon’s caliber join the ANZ team. Jon’s global experience and network connections, teamed with his deep local knowledge and digital prowess, makes him the ideal choice to lead VMLY&R ANZ as it moves into the next phase of growth.”
Bird Started his career as creative director at Marketforce Perth before moving to Sydney in the late 80s. He was a founding partner and ultimately executive chairman of IdeaWorks, which became the region’s foremost specialist retail marketing agency. Bird also served as director of retail marketing for M&C Saatchi in Sydney. Bird moved to the US in 2014 to join what is now VMLY&R, to work at the intersection of digital and retail on a global level.
Says Jon Cook, global CEO, VMLY&R: “Jon Bird is an exceptional leader, and a champion for breakthrough ideas. We’re excited to have him at the helm of this key market and as a member of the VMLY&R global leadership team.”
Cook also recognised Hepburn’s “commitment to the business, his clients and his team”, and the contribution he has made to VMLY&R. “I chose Aden to open the doors of VML in Australia in the first place. He built an incredible company and has led award-winning and transformational work across some of the world’s best brands. I thank Aden and wish him all the best for the future.”
Says Hepburn: “I’ve had the most amazing time, loved every minute with the Group, and couldn’t be prouder of our collective achievements. I leave the business in great shape and am excited to see what VMLY&R can do from here – the positioning, capability and promise of the agency is powerful.”
In the short-term, Hepburn will focus his efforts on partnering with Bird on a smooth transition across VMLY&R’s client partnerships and the business as a whole. The two have worked together extensively for many years.
Bird will be supported by a strong local executive leadership team made up of office and capability leaders in the ANZ region.
VMLY&R is part of WPP AUNZ, Australasia’s leading creative transformation company.
40 Comments
Jon’s one of the most unflappable leaders you’ll ever meet. Can’t wait to see you spread your wings in the new role mate.
All good leaders have to migrate home eventually. Jon will nest well in a world he’s so familiar with and I’m sure clients and new staff will flock in support as well.
I would hate to be pigeonholed as a bird pun writer on Campaign Brief. But this sort of thing could take off.
Jon’s a good egg, always chirpy. Sky’s the limit!
Good luck to Jon, he’s a terrific guy. He’s also the 6th CEO of Y&R since mid 2014. Kinda tells you all you need to know…
There is a god 😝
Unfortunately the blog moderator is going to have his/her work cut out censoring the comments here on this thread…..
Looks like a new pecking order is in place, might as well do it in one foul swoop.
I’m sure there will be lots of happy chirping once the nest is cleaned out.
It is broken. What a shame. Was pretty good for a while there, but 4 CEO’s in 3 years tells you the story
Great news!
You obviously don’t pop your head up very often.
Y&R as a singular entity has been buried for 5 months.
Aden was a great guy, anyone who says differently is a fool, he was like 25 when he got the CEO gig. That don’t happen by accident.
My nose is brown
“That don’t happen”??? (Shudder) …what can I say?
Your new kitchen is ready
Correction Ringo, he was about 12 when he became CEO.
Nodes
This is just another tombstone in the Wpp graveyard.
100%
Here come the digital wobblers!
Defence will love it.
Does this mean I can now apply for a job at VMLY&R?
Hi turdburgers. How many of you are freelance having on to two fifths of fuck all of a career? You were sold up the river.
Aden will be your boss soon. Well he won’t because he wouldn’t employ you.
Congratulations Aden and we’ll done Y&R on a good leader in the wings.
Aden was popular, young and loved by all of his staff. Also incredibly approachable. People need to stop hating.
High school bullies in the comments. Probably the same pathetic creatives with their shit in jokes in the back corner. Aden will get head hunted to somewhere bigger and better and you’ll be commenting on this
Awww are you all unhappy Aden maybe told you to stop messing around on company time and do some work? Aden will have lots of options and good for him.
Aden I wish you the best sir. Great creative bravery
Aden was a good dude
Best boss I’ve ever had. Aden was awesome in my experience
Not sure if I’m following, but the story seems to be that Aden was a driving force in establishing one of Australia’s first truly digital agencies born out of Ideaworks. Jon Bird, who is a retail guru and expert retail copywriter, was on the leadership/ownership team of Ideaworks. Ideaworks became part of Y&R and the digital arm of Ideaworks became VML. Now both agencies have merged to become YRVML and the global powers believe the future is in retail and hence has put Jon Bird in charge?
I love the WPP approach to problems, let’s go back to the last person who’d be stupid enough to come back. The only thing WPP can do here is buy a good agency with leaders, fire VMLY&Rs and give all the VML clients to the new business. A complete clean out of its own terrible culture. But really who cares, let it die once and for all.
Anyone who’s worked there in the past knows that this won’t fly
The ghosts of Y & R will never go away. They arise from the Asches . It will end with a sad whimper while the guilty move on. To do it again.
The very best of luck Aden.
Brilliant result in creating and leading VML in Australia.
The results speak for themselves.
Enjoy the rest and look forward to seeing what you get up to in the future.
To me this just says he was ok at running a digi shop but not quite a proper creative agency.
They’re different, and it’s probably lessons learned on all sides.
Aden is a pioneer in an industry often held back by layers of management stuck in the past.
He has left the agency stronger than its ever been, despite carrying the burden of the y&r debt and over paid senior y&r staff who add no value. They may have won the battle of continuing to be in the drivers seat. But the ship they overtook has now sailed.
Clients have already left, key staff are still leaving and they are in denial, lying to their staff and remaining clients.
As a client I couldn’t agree more
The WPP and Y&R global overlords have overseen and created this disaster. No one would have been able to fix it. Aden now takes over and realises even he can’t do it, or doesn’t want to. A sad state of affairs indeed. Good luck Aden and all those who have sailed in the good ship Y&R/VML.