Phil McDonald departs Y&R as CEO ‘effective immediately’
Phil McDonald, the CEO of WPP’s creative agency Y&R Australia, has departed the agency effective immediately, Mumbrella can reveal.
McDonald was promoted to the role of CEO after Jason Buckley departed in January 2016.
McDonald said he will announce his next role in the coming weeks
Prior to taking on the CEO title, McDonald was Y&R’s group managing director for three years.
In a statement to Mumbrella, Mike Connaghan, CEO at WPP AUNZ, thanked McDonald for his time at the agency.
“He took the reins at a tough time for the business, but has played an important part in growing both its capabilities and solid client offering. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”
McDonald added: “In my time as regional CEO, we have reinvented our business across five cities, won awards all over the world, attracted some great new clients and some of the best talent in the industry. The agency is well set up and after 11 years at Y&R, it is the right time for me to move on to a completely new opportunity, which I will announce in the coming weeks.”
An announcement regarding McDonald’s replacement will made soon, but for now Y&R’s state managing directors will lead the agency and report directly into WPP AUNZ.
This year has seen a slate of CEO and senior departures within creative agencies, with McDonald’s departure becoming the third within WPP’s creative offerings alone.
Earlier in February Mumbrella revealed WhiteGREY’s joint-CEO Paul Worboys stepped down and two weeks the other CEO, Miles Joyce, followed.
M&C Saatchi’s Lee Simpson was later revealed as the new CEO of WhiteGREY.
Meanwhile, McCann’s CEO, Ben Lilley resigned in February while Leo Burnett’s CEO, Peter Bosilkovski stepped down just weeks later.
In March last year, Paul Nagy joined Y&R as its chief creative officer and started off the year by winning the creative account for Alfa Romeo.
Meanwhile, Y&R lost its executive creative director, David Joubert, who joined DDB Sydney as its creative partner.
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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I’m on my way!
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Phil, you were a fantastic boss and mentor. You will be missed.
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Massive loss for Y&R – especially the Brisbane office – and WPP.
Wish Phil all the best!
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This is starting to resemble a Kill Bill screenplay.
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Add this to the raft of senior creative redundancies at J Walter Thompson reported by Campaign Brief. What is going on at WPP?
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Phil is one of the sharpest and most genuine people I’ve worked with and Y&R received the benefit of that for over a decade. Well played mate. What’s next?
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good luck Phil – you’ve always been a class act
Onwards and upwards Phil.
You’ll kick goals no matter what you’re up to.
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Not sure why everybody is so surprised by the movements of people after approx. 3 years in role (and in this case 11 years with the agency).
In my engagement with Phil over the years, I can say he’s one of the good guys. He’s clearly achieved some great career progression at Y&R over the years and it’s time for the next chapter.
All the best Phil, good luck Y&R team and incoming CEO.
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He’s left, “effective immediately”, is serving no-notice period for senior executives considered normal in the industry now?
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And half of Y&R Melbourne being made redundant…
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WPP isn’t exactly making itself an attractive destination for talent. Half truths used to be called lies. This is not ok.
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Best wishes for the next chapter, Phil. This is a big loss to Y&R, IMHO
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Bit of an exaggeration that, isn’t it.
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you obviously have no idea about Y&R Melbourne
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Then; YES!
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They left of their own accord, they weren’t made redundant.
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Did Y&R pitch for Campbell Arnotts too?
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Think they might have just lost Menulog too
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after the first few waves of redundancies people started leaving of their own accord. This wasn’t a coincidence, however- more like self-preservation..
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if you start a current, don’t be surprised what else you might sweep out to sea.
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So will Connaghan, who missed his choice of man to lead that STW agency all those years ago, finally get his man at Y&R?
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Hope so
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No, WPP took it off and pitched a team model instead
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Y&R had nothing to do with Campbells Arnotts – WPP pitched it
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Nagy was the golden boy who didn’t deliver.
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that one might have got away, but Team Vodafone will return.
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That’s revenue they badly needed and a win that Nagy badly needed too
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Cleaning out the old guard. Goodbye Joubert. Goodbye McDonald.
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