Ex-M&C Saatchi’s Colin Jowell joins FutureBrand Australia as MD; Sally McNeill promoted to GM
FutureBrand Australia has today announced Colin Jowell will take up the role of managing director as it sets out to extend its offer beyond brand consulting and identity design toward creating relevant brand touchpoints and experiences.
Jowell, who will officially start FutureBrand Australia 1 October joins the company from M&C Saatchi Australia where he was head of strategy and has a wealth of experience working in different markets. He has enjoyed successful periods in M&C Saatchi’s offices in Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur working extensively across blue chip telecommunications, fast moving consumer goods, financial services and tourism brands before joining its Sydney operation.
FutureBrand Australia has also announced that client services director Sally McNeill has been promoted to the role of general manager.
Says Zayn Khan, FutureBrand Asia Pacific CEO: “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Colin on board. When we were on the hunt for a new managing director we were keen to find someone who could help FutureBrand Australia evolve to the next level, someone with not only a strong strategy background but with deep experience in taking brands into the real word through communications, activation and social media. Securing Colin is a real coup for us.
“Sally’s promotion is a reflection of the outstanding role she has played in the business since joining FutureBrand Australia last September. I look forward to working with Sally more closely in her role as General Manager in the coming months and years.”
Says Jowell “I am ecstatic to be joining a company with the world-class reputation that FutureBrand enjoys across the globe. It’s an exciting time to be working for the company with a genuine opportunity to extend FutureBrand’s offer into the area of brand experience and conversation. I also see this as an opportunity to cultivate longer-term relationships with clients.”
Jowell will replace Erminio Putignano, who, along with executive creative director Ken Shadbolt, will leave the company at the end of their notice periods to pursue other career opportunities.
Says Khan: “I would like express my thanks to Erminio who has led FutureBrand with style and has helped us achieve some great things under his leadership. I would also like to congratulate Ken on his achievements during his 23 years with FutureBrand. Our strong reputation in Australia is a testament to both Erminio and Ken, and I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours.”
5 Comments
Good to see FutureBrand move in the right direction. Hopefully they can now start to build a strong team of experts who respect the leadership group. It really starts with understanding and listening to the needs of their clients, rather than religiously applying a 1980’s view of ‘brand as god’.
I suspect “Serving Futurebrand’s disgruntled clients” should really be called “Disgruntled ex-Futurebrand employee” or possibly “Disgruntled Futurebrand wannabe”.
Full disclosure: I have never worked with Futurebrand but know their work well – some of it I love, some I think needed more time in the incubator. All agencies need new blood from time to time and 23 years in the same place shows a remarkable lack of imagination! I’m sure Jowell, whose work I also know well, will bring something to the new position. Question is can an adman get his head into leading a branding agency?
Futurebrand have been the benchmark reference for corporate branding in Australia for the last decade or so and anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves. They are losing some heavy hitters – more than just those outlined in the story above – and it will be interesting to see where and how they go from here.
Shame “people” (and I use that term loosely) have to use forums like this to peddle their own special brand of vitriol. Sums up everything that’s wrong with this industry; littered with old, meddlesome dinosaurs so blinded by their own self-importance they need to bring everyone else down just to make themselves heard.
Congratulations to both Colin and Sally!
All the best to Colin, he is a smart guy and deserves a crack… go for it