303 MullenLowe Perth promotes Derry Simpson to group MD as Al Taylor becomes chairman
303 MullenLowe Perth has unveiled a major leadership restructure, promoting group managing director Al Taylor to the role of chairman, and Derry Simpson, head of strategy and planning to group managing director.
Simpson will lead the agency alongside executive creative director Richard Berney, and with Taylor, will form the agency’s new executive management team.
Al Taylor (L) chairman of 303 MullenLowe Perth and Derry Simpson (R), group managing director
The news comes shortly after Alice Manners’ departure in February, following two weeks in the role as managing partner, media.
303 MullenLowe Perth’s new executive management team will also include Todd Baker, John Linton, Paul Larking, Brad Hyde, Peter Liddell and Mike Naylor.
Linton has been promoted to planning director while Brad Hyde will take on the newly created role of head of analytics and business intelligence.
Nick Cleaver, national CEO of 303 MullenLowe described the new structure as a “strengthened management line-up”.
“We are very fortunate to have such a strong collection of very talented senior people who are passionate and committed to the business and have a clear and united vision for where the business is heading,” Cleaver said.
“With regard to Derry and Al, their roles are an acknowledgement of their amazing contributions and their importance to our ongoing business success,” he added.
“The move really reflects what they have been doing over the last couple of years. Derry has been very much running the day-to-day business and Al has been much more focused on the development of business and brand and it has been working brilliantly.”
Taylor said he was looking forward to what the new line up will means for the agency’s clients and business.
“I am absolutely delighted for the team as it is a great testament to their capabilities, passion and dedication. The communications business is evolving rapidly demanding we be so much more agile, entrepreneurial and opportunistic,” he said.
“As for Derry, well she is one of the most gifted people I have ever worked with and having her capabilities harnessed to drive the business just makes a lot of sense.”
Commenting on her promotion, Simpson said: “303 has a brilliant culture and a 27-year long legacy of creating big, integrated brand ideas. But it also has a wonderful group of young, clever, passionate people who are all part of actively shaping what the agency will achieve in our next 10 years.
“We’ve had some amazing talent join us recently and it’s pushing us to do things differently. Social media strategy, analytics, content production, and PR are all areas of investment for us.”
“I know I have some big shoes to fill but it’s a really exciting time to be stepping in to the role of group managing director. With Al as Chairman, an ECD as talented as Richard, and an exceptionally strong management team in place, I feel incredibly excited and humbled by the opportunity,” she said.
topics
303 Mullenlowe Perth
Al Taylor
Brad Hyde
Derry Simpson
John Linton
Mike Naylor
Paul Larking
Peter Liddell
Richard Berney
Todd Baker
