DDB Australia’s chief creative officer Stephen de Wolf is to leave the agency after nearly three years in the role. Meanwhile, DDB Sydney has promoted its executive creative director, Matt Chandler, to chief creative officer, effective immediately.
De Woolf, who was previously the creative chief at BBH London, succeeded Ben Welsh as DDB’s lead creative.
He has previously worked at Clemenger BBDO and won more than 50 Cannes Lions, including for his globally famous ‘Meet Graham’ road safety campaign for the Transport Accident Commission, as well as being chosen as top creative director at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in 2018.
Chandler joined DDB Sydney in 2014 as a copywriter, following stints in London at Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT.
In the intervening decade, he rose to lead globally recognised work for DDB Sydney’s roster of long-term clients including Westpac, McDonald’s and Volkswagen.
During his time on the DDB creative leadership team, the agency has been awarded multiple Agency of the Year titles, as well as Cannes Gold, Spikes Grand Prix and just last month, a Silver Lion at Cannes for its “Original Mouthful” campaign for Macca’s.
Chandler’s promotion rounds out a new-look Sydney leadership team alongside chief strategy officer Rupert Price, and Group CEO Sheryl Marjoram.
Sheryl Marjoram, DDB Sydney Group CEO, said: “Matt is one of those rare humans that cares deeply about the work and equally about the people behind it. He is one of our industry’s greatest storytellers. Everyone leans in to listen and in these increasingly challenging times, emotional storytelling is what makes all the difference.
“Matt’s superpower of emotionally charged storytelling, coupled with Rupert’s relentless pursuit for effectiveness, is going to be a formidable force.”
Commenting on his new role, Chandler said: “When I walked into DDB Sydney’s Mountain Street offices 10 years ago, I was just excited to be working with the best people and brands you could find in Australia. Honestly, I feel the same way today. I’ve been a beneficiary of the many talented and generous people who have passed through the agency. The responsibility of now leading DDB Sydney is an opportunity for me to repay all that goodwill by making sure everyone gets the same experience.
“The only reason to stay in one place for a long time is because you feel like there’s potential for you and for the agency. Working alongside Rupert and Sheryl and what I reckon is the best creative department in the country, there’s never been more potential than right now.
“That potential I see at DDB extends to the rest of our industry, which I know to be filled with wildly talented and ambitious creative people, and I’m proud to be part of it. I hope we continue to all make each other bolder and better, more and more often.”
