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CEO Richard Curtis takes ownership of Futurebrand Australia

Futurebrand CEO Richard Curtis has acquired the company’s Australian operations from Interpublic Group.

Curtis said he liked his job so much that he bought the company, but also contended the deal will enable Futurebrand to invest in the Australian market whilst maintaining its ties to the global network as an affiliate.

“I’m excited to be making the Futurebrand business in Australia my own, and I’m confident we have the platform and people we need for the new decade. Simply put, I liked my job so much that I bought the company,” he said.

Curtis has been CEO since 2014

The move follows Curtis starting up a brand and marketing consultancy, Thirty:3, at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown to give back 90 mins of his normal commute to the Futurebrand office to struggling businesses.

Curtis’ acquisition of Futurebrand is similar to that of former McCann CEO Ben Lilley taking ownership of McCann Worldgroup Australia in February, also from Interpublic Group. In a similar arrangement to Futurebrand, McCann remains connected to the global network.

The new ownership of Futurebrand came into effect on July 1.

Nick Sykes, global CEO of Futurebrand said he was confident the deal with Curtis was the right decision for the local business.

“Rich’s experience in the Australian market gives me every confidence that the change of ownership will offer the right springboard for continued success. It will enable Rich and the team to continue to tap into local creativity and expertise while still making the most of Futurebrand’s global network and transformational capabilities.”

Curtis added that Futurebrand’s services are have become increasingly relevant and important during COVID-19.

“Now more than ever, Australian businesses are looking for guidance and support on transformational challenges and these are the brand challenges on which we’ve proven our worth for the last 20 years,” Curtis said.

“Our brand transformation offer is only becoming more relevant as businesses look for more creative ways to fuel growth. Being locally-owned creates further opportunities for the business to invest and grow, and of course, our clients will continue to benefit from our global outlook and collaboration with the Futurebrand family.”

Curtis has been national CEO of Futurebrand since 2014. Just over a year later, Interpublic expanded his role, making him CEO for Asia-Pacific.

Futurebrand Australia’s clients include Air Trunk, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, Flight Centre Travel Group, Football Marketing Asia, Luye Life Sciences, New Zealand Natural, New Payments Platform, NIB, Orygen, Vocus and Zenitas.

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