Yes the news is correct I will be leaving my current role as CEO AIM Proximity / Executive Director of Digital Innovation Clemenger Group Australasia for a new role still in the BBDO Network as Executive Vice President Proximity Worldwide based in San Francisco. I will be transitioning into the new role over the next two months traveling between Auckland and the United States.

Proximity Worldwide is the world’s most awarded, direct and digital agency network. With more than 2,000 employees in 62 offices around the world.

The network is aligned with BBDO Worldwide and a member of the Omnicom group of companies – the world’s largest marketing services organization. I will be focused on running new business, managing some major multi-national accounts and providing support to Proximity teams across our network.

 
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Clemenger Group. The move from Hong Kong to Auckland four years ago has been one of the best decisions of my life. New Zealand is a wonderful country to live with a family and the advertising industry is one of the most creative in the world. I feel very lucky to be have worked alongside some of the best creative, strategic and agency management talent being part of Clemenger BBDO Group.

The chance to now move into the extended BBDO and Proximity family based in the USA is a great new challenge and something I am very excited about. To have the chance to work in the San Francisco bay area in what is the digital capital of the world at the moment is very exciting indeed. The family is also looking forward to this next chapter of our lives.

There are plenty of people to thank in the Clemenger Group. First and most importantly I have to give a big thank you to Roger MacDonnell the founder of Colenso BBDO for enticing me to join Colenso in early 2007. The opportunity to come to Auckland and work alongside Roger and Brent Smart, MD was very appealing. When Roger told me Nick Worthington and James Hurman were also joining Colenso I couldn’t refuse the chance to be part of something very special.

After Roger left I was lucky enough to have Jim Moser as my boss. Jim has been a great motivator and I have had the pleasure of being both a co-worker and a friend to Jim since meeting in 2001. In and out of the office, Jim conducts himself with integrity. Jim can be counted on not just to work hard, but to always represent the Clemenger Group in a positive light.

I would also like to thank Robert Morgan who has-been wonderful mentor to me over the last couple of years. I appreciated the chance he gave me to lead digital for such an amazing agency group. Clemenger Group is very successful and its position in the market place is because of Robert’s leadership.

A special thank must go to Aaron Turk, Terry Williams-Willcock, Dan Wright, Andy Bell, Michael Barnfield and Ian Hulme who have been fantastic to work with in New Zealand. In Australia there are so many good folks but a big thank you must go to Peter Biggs, James McGrath, Hamish Cameron Jonathan Isaacs, Eaon Pritchard, Andy Pontin and Al Crawford who have made me feel so welcome in their respective Clemenger agencies. They are all such talented people to work with.