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Thinkerbell appoints Margie Reid as managing director

Four months after launching, Thinkerbell has announced Margie Reid will be leading the agency as managing director.

Reid, the former managing director at OMD, departed the media agency in September after 11 years.

Reid will start with the agency on January 8

Reid joined the media agency in 2006 as business director, leaving Universal McCann after three years as business manager.

Adam Ferrier, Jim Ingram and Ben Couzens all departed Cummins & Partners in March. Ferrier was the agency’s global chief strategy director while Couzens and Ingram were joint executive creative directors. 

Launched in June by the trio, Reid told Mumbrella the founders and the agency’s “measured magic” proposition is what attracted her to the agency.

“The concept and what Thinkerbell stands for, the measured magic and the articulation of that and the reputation of the founders.

“It was that moment when a lightbulb goes off in your head…there was something about it,” Reid said.

The managing director said for her, Thinkerbell isn’t just a creative agency, it is a communications agency.

“It doesn’t fit into the silo of creative, it covers that broad spectrum of a total marketing-communications agency which gives us the ability to shape the agency and deliver on how, whether it’s a message or the medium, how does it have a more seamless approach and view to deliver on clients challenges.”

Discussing the future of the agency and Reid’s long history in media agencies, she said Thinkerbell could move into the media buying area if it is what a client needs.

“At this stage it is a communications agency, whether that’s defining the strategy, developing the creative or planning the media, whether it stretches that far in terms of buying our model’s not predicated on it but if that’s what a client needs we could always move forward into that area.

“At this stage it is such an embryonic area, there is ability to grow and define that,” she added.

After spending three years as a managing director at OMD, Reid said she will bring her “ability to run a business” and management skills which she acquired from the experience.

“Driving a machine or creating a machine that actually has a strong underpin of operations and process that enables us to run a successful business,

“Strong connections with clients and understanding the entire marketing communications landscape, whether that be creative through to media and every component in between,” were other skills Reid said she would bring to the agency.

Speaking of Reid’s appointment, Ferrier, said in a statement: “Margie radiates integrity, and a strong sense of self – valuable qualities in an increasingly complex and complicated business landscape. In Margie we have someone we totally believe in, and we think our clients will too.”

Ingram added: “Margie was the very first person we met, and we instantly knew she was our person. Margie brings with her a proven track record of leading a happy agency to business success, as well as sharing the same sense of wonder and excitement about the possibilities of Thinkerbell.”

Just two months after opening its doors, PwC took a “minority” stake in the creative agency.

Since its launch the agency has won the 13CABS account, releasing its first work last month.

The appointment comes after a series of change in the Melbourne market including Deloitte Digital’s recent appointments of McCann’s Adrian Mills, David Phillips, Matt Lawson and Justine Mills.

While in August, The Monkeys Melbourne made its first appointments hiring Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s MD, Paul McMillan and planning director Michael Derepas.

Two months later the agency hired Ant Keogh as its chief creative officer, following his departure from Clemenger BBDO after ten years.

Last month, independent creative agency The Hallway opened up a Melbourne operation after winning the ANZ Bank’s Cards account earlier in the year.

Sharing her view on the Melbourne industry, Reid said there’s “lots of great things happening across the market”.

“To be part of that at the moment is a really exciting time and it’s how do we work as part of that network to continue to have a strong a sustainable industry, and I am confident at Thinkerbell the founders have started that.”

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