Leif Stromnes, DDB Group’s managing director of strategy and innovation, will depart the business after 25 years.
Stromnes joined DDB as its head of strategic planning in 2000, following stints with Ogilvy and TBWA. Since joining, he served for eight years as chief strategy officer as well as five years as MD before spending a decade as MD of strategy and innovation. His departure is part of a restructuring within the agency group, and his last day will be at the end of this month.
A well-known and well-liked member of the industry, Stromnes has been a columnist for B&T for a while, with his always insightful writings unpacking the often paradoxical motivations behind consumer decisions.
Posting on LinkedIn, Stromnes said he had “always felt proud to be part of DDB”.
“Proud of our people. Proud of our work. Proud of our clients. Proud of the pitches we won. Proud of our awards. And proud that I never wasted a single moment feeling like I was in the wrong place.
“I can honestly count the bad days on one hand, and that is testament to the amazing role that culture plays in a creative business.
“Strategies come and go, but the way a place makes you feel lasts forever.
“I’ve always believed that advertising is a marathon, not a sprint, and in a world that is obsessed with short-termism, sustainable growth is best achieved by the magical power of compounding long-term relationships.
“Thank you to my colleagues and clients over the past 25 years. Some of you have worked with me all of this time, and most of you remain firm friends.
“Although our industry is being challenged, it’s still a human-to-human business and the desire to collaborate and solve problems using the unreasonable power of creativity will endure.
“So whilst it seems that everything is changing, so much of what we have always done will never change.
“And that is worth building our future around.”
Sheryl Marjoram, CEO of DDB Group Sydney, said in a statement: “Leif is one of our most loved people. He has been larger than life, creating a significant and lasting impact on our business, on our clients’ businesses, and on our culture. So many of us will enjoy a long and continued friendship with Leif – none of that will change. I really want to say thank you, Leif!”
Stromnes’ next role is to be announced.
