Legendary OMON founder Siimon Reynolds takes director role at Melbourne agency Accelerator

One of Melbourne’s fastest growing agencies has added Australian advertising legend Siimon Reynolds to its board.

The appointment signals a new era for Accelerator and coincides with the relaunch of its brand and a more extroverted stance for an agency that has historically exemplified the ‘quiet achiever’.

“We’re thrilled that Siimon has re-joined the industry with us”, said Accelerator joint MD, Phil Huzzard. ‘It’s an affirmation for our team of the hard work that’s been put in to evolve the business over the last 12 months. Siimon will be invaluable in helping us take the next step in growing the business, which will be a focus of his role with us.”

“Accelerator is a company set for some really big things,” said Reynolds. “It’s a solid business with great ideas and what I think is the right philosophy. It has great clients and a strong, multi-skilled team. I think it’s ready to become a big name.”

“Siimon’s role will be working with Accelerator’s leadership to build the skills and structures to become a leading independent agency”, said Huzzard. “He’s already making a difference by pushing us to look more laterally and creatively at how we lift our clients’ marketing performance.”

Reynolds’ role will not be completely behind the scenes. He will be a regular contributor to making Accelerator’s online presence a high value source of ideas and will come face-to-face with Accelerator clients at briefings and events.

On the new-look Accelerator Huzzard says, “This is partly about us acknowledging the evolution of the firm. But it’s also us demonstrating leadership – sharing more knowledge and being a more visible and relevant presence in the industry.”

Reynolds has built numerous successful businesses himself. He was a founding partner of Photon Group, which started with 2 people in 2000 and 7 years later employed over 6000 staff, in 14 countries. The group consisted of 54 companies and was valued on the ASX at over $500 million when he left.

From 2008 until 2011 he was chairman of OMG, Australia’s largest group of websites, currently running over 31,000 sites. Prior to these companies he founded several creative ad agencies, including OMON, winning Campaign Brief Advertising Agency of the Year twice, as well as over 50 industry awards.