Former Clemenger BBDO boss Nick Garrett joins Deloitte Digital
Nick Garrett, former Clemenger BBDO CEO, has joined Deloitte Digital, joining Matt Lawson and Adrian Mills as the third partner in Deloitte Creative.
Garrett left Clemenger in 2019 where he led both the Melbourne and Sydney offices. Garrett joined Clemenger in 2015, arriving from Colenso BBDO in Auckland, and helped the agency continue as one of the most successful creative agencies in the industry.
Garrett is a former Mumbrella Industry Leader of the Year award winner among multiple other Mumbrella awards won by Clemenger BBDO during his time at the helm.
Garrett said that he’s excited to join Deloitte Digital and to partner with Lawson and Mills following some time out of the industry.
Nick Garrett
“Their vision to solve bigger problems with creative thinking is the right thing at the right time, and the perfect opportunity for me personally to jump back into the industry. I have loved the last eighteen months working for myself consulting across a huge variety of clients, from large, established organisations through to up-and-coming start-ups. But there are some things that instantly feel right, and joining the Deloitte Digital team is one of them.”
Deloitte Digital APAC chief creative officer, Matt Lawson, said: “Nick Garrett is a revolutionary, and it’s an understatement to say that I’m ecstatic about him joining us as a partner and what that means for Deloitte Australia. Deloitte is focused on creating a new type of growth for clients, new growth that produces profit through purpose and innovation, and scale that’s sustainable, yet abundant. Nick’s the perfect person to help champion this change.”
He also said that Garrett’s appointment comes at “a time of great excitement” for the agency, with the business now employing “over 800 digital and creative specialists across Australia”.
Joining Mills and Lawson, Garrett will be focused on “connecting creativity across the Deloitte business and client base”.
Adrian Mills
Mills added that he and Lawson had been looking for a Sydney-based partner to “make this a trio” for the last three years.
“In our opinion, with Nick we’re getting the most accomplished creative business leader in the country, which is quite humbling. To have Nick on the same team, working toward the same goal at a time when we have so much momentum, is a step-change for the creative business and Deloitte Australia.
“Nick is best known for his love of ‘ideas and the creative product’ and he is the only Australian agency CEO to lead two creative agencies to the number 1 ranking in the world – and involved in work that has won close to 200 Cannes Lions. In his time as CEO of Colenso BBDO, the agency nearly trebled in size, while twice achieving the most creative agency in the world accolade,” continued Mills.
During the time since leaving Clemenger, Garrett has worked on several projects, including working on and investing in marketing software company Mutiny, which last month announced additional investment from Garrett and other industry figures including Publicis and Ogilvy CEO, Andrew Baxter.
Earlier this year, former CUB marketing director Chris Maxwell launched Lution with the help of US-based former CMO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Andy Gibson, and founder of Present Company, Marty Wirth. Garrett was also involved in that project.
When he left Clemenger, Gayle While took over the Melbourne operations, while former VMLY&R co-CEO Pete Bosilkovski took over as CEO of Clemenger Sydney. While left the agency after less than a year in charge, with Jim Gall then taking on the CEO role.
Garrett joins Deloitte effective immediately.
Got a tip?
Calum Jaspan was news editor at Mumbrella, based in Melbourne. He was also the producer and host of the Mumbrellacast. He left Mumbrella in May 2023.
Linkedin