Digital powerhouse R/GA has officially launched its Sydney office announcing Rip Curl on its client list, along with work it has secured for Qantas.
B&T revealed in December former Whybin\TBWA man Gavin McLeod will be the executive creative director, with M&C Saatchi’s Joshua Rowe joining him as creative director.
The agency aims to grow to nine people by the end of the first quarter, but many local agencies fear their top talent may be lured away to the glamour of the multi-award winning agency.
McLeod said: “An Achilles heel of many Australian agencies has been their inability to deliver on what they promise in the digital space to clients.
“R/GA is different – it has proud culture of being a place where people build things, and an impeccable track record of physically building them. My mandate is very simple: Do interesting work that does great things for our clients”.
As also revealed by B&T R/GA veteran Ameer Youssef will be a temporary managing director for the new agency, although there are plans to hire a long-term replacement for him.
The agency is renowned for innovative work in the digital space, picking up a plethora of gongs including a Cannes Cyber Grand Prix Lion for the Nike+ Fuelband work.
Aussie Nick Law (pictured), global chief creative officer, is currently in Sydney overseeing the set-up of the agency’s twelfth regional office.
He said: “Sydney has long been a hotbed of exciting talent, award winning work and innovative, forward thinking companies, so it was a natural fit for R/GA to eventually set up shop here.
“As we look to expand further into the Pacific Rim Region the Sydney office will play a key strategic role, while also benefiting from the experience, expertise and support of our team in Singapore.”
Rowe joins from M&C Saatchi Sydney where he was associate creative director overseeing campaigns including B&T’s Digital Campaign of the Year ‘Build with Chrome’.
Qantas surprised many last year by giving the agency a place on its roster despite there being no local presence.
An exclusive column from Nick Law on innovation is in the latest edition of B&T Magazine, out this week.
