Creative agency Host/Havas has announced that its chief creative officer, Darren Spiller, will be leaving the agency.

Spiller joined Host as its chief creative officer in January last year and then assumed the same role when the agency merged with Havas in October 2017.

Host/Havas has received of a long list of creative accolades this year, most notably for the ‘Palau Pledge’ campaign, which saw the agency named AWARD Agency of the Year, receive a D&AD Black Pencil and win three Grand Prix at Cannes Lions.

Host/Havas confirmed that Spiller’s role will not be replaced, with his duties being shared amongst the agency’s executive creative directors: Seamus Higgins, Ant Melder and Jon Austin.

Laura Aldington, CEO of Host/Havas, said: “I have been lucky enough to call Daz both a great friend and a great colleague over the years.

“It has been a genuine pleasure to partner with him again in the creation of Host/Havas and I am grateful for everything he has done to set us up for success.

“He leaves us in very safe hands with a formidably talented line up of creative leaders, and I’m excited about where they’ll take us next.”

Havas Group chairman Anthony Freedman added: “I would like to thank Darren for his passion, commitment and creativity and wish him every success in whatever adventures lie ahead.”

Commenting on his departure, Spiller said: “We are approaching the first birthday for Host/Havas and by any measure, it’s been an excellent 12 months.

“It was always my intention to help deliver the successful integration of Host and Havas Sydney before stepping aside to allow others to take it forward.

“The agency is in the shape of its life, so now feels like the right time for that to happen. The ECDs are incredibly talented and more than capable of taking the reins, and I wish them all the very best.”