DDB Australia CCO Ben Welsh steps down after 5 years
DDB Australia’s chief creative officer Ben Welsh is stepping down from the position after five years in the role. He will finish up at the end of September, with a replacement to be announced soon.
Welsh joined DDB in 2016 from M&C Saatchi, where he spent almost 20 years as executive creative director, and then creative chair across Asia. It was a return to DDB for Welsh, whose first role in Australia after moving from the UK was as a senior copywriter at DDB Melbourne.
Ben Welsh, chief creative officer, DDB Australia
Welsh said of his exit: “After five amazing, action-packed, never-a-dull-moment years with DDB, I’m going to call it a day. I’ve achieved everything I set out to do, thanks largely to the brilliant people I’ve had the pleasure of working with here, and there are so many things I want to do beyond.
“I’ve always believed in hiring people more talented than me, and then empowering them to do what they do best. I’m incredibly proud of this creative department and this agency. If we were in a position to have a farewell drink, I’d give each and every one of them a hug.”
Over the past five years Welsh and his team have created work across the DDB client list including Westpac’s Life Moments, Foxtel’s Grave of Thrones and, more recently, Volkswagen’s Walkinshaw Station, the Tiguan horror posters, and Golf Ad Break Championship.
DDB Australia and New Zealand CEO and president Andrew Little said: “Ben is a wonderful leader, creative, and colleague, and I’m grateful for everything he’s done for DDB across the past five years. We wish him all the very best for the future. I’m looking forward to seeing the creative department continue to create big, clever, Unexpected Work for some of the most famous brands in the country.”
In February 2021, DDB Sydney’s Tara Ford moved to The Monkeys as chief creative officer.
