Burnett’s raids DDB creative dept – secures Grant McAloon as CD; star team Michael Canning and Kieran Antil heading for Leo Burnett New York

CB Exclusive – Leo Burnett Sydney’s star team Michael Canning (far left) and Kieran Antil, the most awarded creative team in the world at Cannes this year, will be moving to Leo Burnett New York early next year as joint creative directors to strengthen the New York office, reuniting with ECD Jay Benjamin. 

Meanwhile, Leo’s has raided DDB Sydney to secure the talents of creatives Grant McAloon, Paul Sharp, Brendan Donnelly, Guy Futcher and Volkswagen GAD Scott Thompson to work on Subaru. The agency has hired a total nine new people – the other four hires are creatives Mike Felix, Matt Swinburne, Misha McDonald and Sharon Edmonston.

McAloon (above right), who joined DDB from Mojo in October last year, comes in as creative director, reporting to ECD Andy DiLallo. Prior to that McAloon was at Leo Burnett, where he was one of the two original creatives on Earth Hour. He is partnering with Cameron Harris who joined the agency just under a year ago from Clemenger BBDO Melbourne.

Together with current partner Steve Wakelam – who remains at DDB – McAloon created the multi-awarded Boag’s ‘Pure Waters’ spot which just missed out on the Cannes Film Grand Prix last year.

Art director Sharp will be joining as creative group head, partnering with recently promoted deputy creative director Gary Dawson. They previously worked together at Clemenger BBDO, Sydney. 

Another new team is Mike Felix and Matt Swinburne (pictured, left). New Zealander Felix joins from Crosette, Vancouver to partner with former Campaign Palace Sydney creative Matt Swinburne, who has only been in the job six months after moving across from DDB New Zealand. They’d previously worked together at DDB Auckland. 

Donnelly and Futcher reunite with DiLallo, who first hired the team when he was co-ECD of JWT Sydney. They were responsible for the highly awarded 2009 AWARD Call for Entries. 

And the other new team joining the agency is Misha McDonald (pictured, left) and Sharon Edmonston. McDonald joins from Junior in Brisbane after 10 years working at Whybin\TBWA Sydney and DDB Sydney. 

DiLallo (below) says after bringing home 11 Lions, 15 Spikes, including three Grand Prix, and the title of Most Awarded agency in Asia Pacific this year, he wanted to find a way to take the agency to the next level.

“These most recent hires reflect an extensive search for the best talent in the region, bar none,” he says. “Each one of them brings a unique look to our offering as an agency. Their collective talent along with our existing team will surely be unmatched. I am stoked to 

have each and every one of them. This bolstering of our ranks is a testament to the growth of our agency over the past year. For me, the challenge isn’t maintaining the bar, it’s pushing it to see how high it can go. It wasn’t a conscious effort to rob DDB – I was merely looking for the best possible people, of which they used to have a few.”

Canning and Antil go to the New York office with his blessing.

“After two massive years with the Sydney office it is time for Michael and Kieran to spread their talents overseas,” says DiLallo. “I am stoked for the boys to have a chance to gain some international experience, while at the same time strengthening our New York operation and reuniting with my buddy Jay Benjamin. Michael and Kieran are rising stars within the Leo Burnett, a network which places a high premium on giving its people the opportunity to grow.”

In a separate move, DDB Sydney creatives Jakub Szymanski and Alex Stainton, who currently work separately, have been lured to Ogilvy Sydney as a team.

The talent drain at DDB comes just prior to the arrival of new executive creative director Dylan Harrison from Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, and will no doubt free him up to get some new hires in place for the new year.