Clemenger BBDO’s Hilary Badger joins Ogilvy Melbourne as ECD
Ogilvy Melbourne has selected Clemenger BBDO’s Hilary Badger to replace recently departed executive creative director, David Ponce de León.
Ponce de León exited Ogilvy after seven years, taking a one-year sabbatical from advertising as he approached his 25th year in the industry, and 50th birthday.
Badger joins Ogilvy from Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, where she had spent 10 years over two stints, working her way from copywriter, to creative director, and then group creative director as recently as August 2022.
With more than 20 years of experience across Australia and New Zealand, Badger will oversee Ogilvy’s Melbourne-based creatives, working closely with the it’s chief creative officer, Toby Talbot.
Ogilvy Melbourne managing director Gavin MacMillan said Badger’s strategic creativity and unconventional thinking made her a great fit, particularly given the brand’s belief in the power of creativity to transform business.
“Hilary is a driven, next-generation leader who is a great fit with our clients, our people, and our culture. She’s also a demonstrated cracker of big brand platforms and behaviour change campaigns,” he said.
“I look forward to working with her and the great things I know she’ll achieve with our team.”
Badger said she was optimistic about the “future of creativity at Ogilvy”.
“I already have a strong relationship with some of the team, and I’m looking forward to building on my relationships with the faces that are newer to me,” she said.
“Working with Toby Talbot is a career-long ambition realised. He has an incredible track record as a transformative creative leader over so many years. It’s exciting to be part of what he is building as we bring Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand together in this new world of borderless creativity. Ogilvy has a dream client list, with brands doing such innovative work here and overseas. And I’m ambitious to partner with new clients too.”
Talbot added: “In Hilary we have someone with immense experience in the Melbourne market, and ten years at the top of her game at an iconic agency like Clems Melbourne. She’s a serial pitch winner. She is a formidable writer. Not just consistently penning pitch winning advertising ideas but she’s also a successful children’s writer published in 20 languages to boot. She can connect with different audiences given her broader writing career.
“But for me her real superpower is her ability to roll up her sleeves and inspire her team. I can’t wait to see what they are capable of this year,” he concluded.
Mumbrella understands Talbot and his team of group creative directors will continue to oversee Ogilvy’s Sydney creative team as the agency searches to fill the Sydney ECD role.
Clemenger was contacted for comment.
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