Hourigan International launches creative arm
Edwina Speakman and Lea Walker
Recruiting firm Hourigan International has launched a specialist division to cater for the creative community.
The offering’s point of difference is that it sits between the advertising and marketing worlds – “beyond the traditional move from Agency A to Agency B”, according to a press release from the firm.
Hourigan International’s Creative Division will be fronted by Fallon London’s Lea Walker – wife of The Monkey’s creative partner Micah Walker – and Plaza Films’ Edwina Speakman, who will take on the likes of FBI Recruitment and Esther Clerehan in the creative recruitment space.
The duo will report into Anthony Hourigan, who launched the recruiting firm a decade ago.
Hourigan said: “We intend to invest strongly in this offering, and develop it into a truly world-class proposition that underpins our belief in Creative Leadership talent.”
“The hyper digital era we are now experiencing is challenging business. We’ve seen iconic brands disappear and new business models explode onto the scene,” he said.
“Game-changing ideas are impacting industries at speed, and the switched-on business leaders recognise that if they don’t embrace innovation and creativity, they will be vulnerable to competitors or increasingly to external forces that can blind-side industries. The way companies will incorporate creative thinking will change their structures, their talent and their relationship with creative agencies. The early signs of these changes are already becoming apparent.”
Walker, who takes on the role of general manager of the unit, was head of account management at Fallon London for three and half years, after a nine-year stint at Leo Burnett, where she rose from account executive to group account director.
She said: “As well as the traditional briefs, we are increasingly seeing more unique opportunities for our creative candidates. Because Hourigan International spans the client, media and agency spectrum, we are well placed to find new opportunities for creative talent and we can provide our clients with access to a global creative talent pool from a variety of backgrounds”.
Over a 15-year career in advertising, Speakman has worked in Melbourne, London and Sydney, latterly at Plaza Films.
She added: “It’s also exciting to be able to leverage the contacts I’ve made in my years of production to offer agencies and production companies an advocate for their brands that genuinely understand their needs”.
So, when are they going to change that clunky flash based website?
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buzzword bingo!
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Great move – about time creative recruitment in Australia had a shake up.
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Two very clever (and lovely) women. Best of luck to you both girls.
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