Smart move taking over The Foundry

June 15 2010, 3:44 pm | BY Kim Shaw | 23 Comments

Screen shot 2010-06-15 at 4.23.46 PM.pngScreen shot 2010-06-15 at 4.24.34 PM.pngScreen shot 2010-06-15 at 4.27.06 PM.pngCB Exclusive – CB can reveal that creative agency Smart, with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Auckland, has taken over The Foundry, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne – and the combined operation will be called Smart.

The takeover has already resulted in at least six redundancies, mostly in Sydney – including associate CD Misha McDonald – where Smart people are already moving into the Foundry’s premises in Foster Street, Surry Hills – bringing at least 30 cases of Mother energy drink with them (Mother is a Smart client).

Smart’s management team includes CEO Ben Lilley (top left), who founded the agency in 2000, executiveCD John Mescall (middle) and creative director Dan Gregory (aboveright).

CB has just called The Foundry, Sydney and the receptionist answered”Hello” (no mention of Foundry), and informed us managing partner SimonBurrett was in meetings this afternoon. (Since then it has been confirmed that Burrett will become managing director of Smart.)

Annie Price is creativedirector of The Foundry in Melbourne and shewill retain that title, working alongside executive CD John Mescall.