FutureBrand appoints Richard Curtis as Australia CEO, Graham Purnell as ECD
Richard Curtis
Graham Purnell
Richard Curtis, who stepped down after a high-profile stint as Australia MD of Interbrand earlier this month, has emerged at rival brand consultancy FutureBrand as Australia CEO, Mumbrella can reveal.
Curtis, who is best known for steering the win and rebrand of Telstra in the latter part of a six-year spell at Interbrand, moves into a newly created national role at the Interpublic Group-owned agency, which has offices in Melbourne and Sydney.
Also joining FutureBrand is Graham Purnell as executive creative director, another newly created position. The seasoned designer moves from Cato Purnell Partners after almost two decades with the agency.As well as Australia CEO, Curtis takes on regional duties to develop the FutureBrand product across Asia Pacific. He will report to regional president Sarah Reiter.
Reiter said the two appointments “add significant strategic and creative leadership to the FutureBrand offer, and represent FutureBrand’s commitment to clients in the Australia and New Zealand marketplaces.”
“To have an agency leader of Richard’s track record partner with someone of Graham’s creative calibre is a rare opportunity and a big win for FutureBrand in Australia,” she said.
Curtis commented: “FutureBrand is changing the way that businesses think about brands, for the better. Their commitment to product and service development means more meaningful solutions in the Australian market. And by comparison, the connectedness of the regional team, operations, planning and talent development presents a smarter way to work.”
Before he joined Interbrand, Curtis had a six-year spell at WPP brand agency Landor Associates. He has also worked in media, as a strategist at Carat, and in advertising, as an account planner at Dentsu Young & Rubicam in Thailand.
Purnell has been with Cato Purnell Partners since 1994, having joined from Singapore ad agency Batey Ads, where he was design director. In his career, he has also worked at Delaney Associates and Minale Tattersfield and Partners.
Robin Hicks
congrats Rich!
Russ
User ID not verified.
Congrats Gents!
User ID not verified.
What lovely backgrounds
User ID not verified.
Congratulations to all, big wins for the agency. For the sake of accuracy I’d just like to point out that ECD is not a newly created role in FutureBrand, it was previously occupied by an equally high calibre person – it’s just been vacant for a while.
User ID not verified.