WPP AUNZ’s Ikon has announced a new national structure supported by changes to its senior teams in Sydney and Brisbane, as the agency moves to take a broader, cross-city focus.
In Sydney, managing partner Pat Crowley (pictured above, left) has stepped aside from his management position to undertake a role focused solely on the CBA account. As a result, James Sawyer (pictured above, middle), a 10-year Ikon veteran, has been promoted to managing partner for Sydney.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to lead this office for the last five years, but it is now time for me to plan my next move and allow me to continue to focus on our foundation client, the Commonwealth Bank,” Crowley said.
“I’m excited about the change and the chance for our fantastic young talent to lead what is a successful team here in Sydney.
Ikon’s national chief operating officer, David Gerrie (pictured above, right), said Crowley’s move was a result of his longstanding and highly-regarded relationship with the bank, a foundation client of the agency.
Gerrie said Crowley was committed to work part-time on the account to ensure a smooth transition and continuity for the client he has spent the past 11 years working with.
“Pat is looking forward to continuing to be at the coal-face of the bank’s business,” he said.
“The CBA is one of our most valued clients, and Pat has spent considerable time and effort on the account during the past 11 years.
“Ikon Group Sydney is in great shape and continues to provide best-in-class work for clients across its full-service offering, and we can thank Pat for successfully developing and managing the business to the point it is today. We appreciate his ongoing commitment to work with the CBA in this new capacity.”
As part of the changes, Ikon Brisbane managing partner Lesley Edwards will take up the newly-created position of chairperson for Ikon nationally, working closely with Gerrie to focus on the long-term position of the business.
WPP AUNZ chief executive Mike Connaghan said: “From Ikon’s inception, it has been a great success in the marketplace. Its innovative thinking, first-to-market approaches have been driven by constant evolution to ensure it keeps ahead of the curve.
“With this in mind, Lesley, David and the national leadership team will be charged to evolve Ikon so that its offering can continue to be ground-breaking.”
While Edwards will be based in Brisbane, the office has been restructured following the change to her role. National head of performance Chris Ernst has been promoted into the role of managing partner at Ikon Brisbane, charged with overall commercial responsibilities.
A search is now underway for a new national head of performance.
Other changes in the Brisbane office include agency directors Shelley Cook and Adam Hickey both taking on broader responsibilities, with Cook to lead partnerships and strategy, and Hickey now responsible for client leadership, people, culture and processes.
Edwards said of the changes: “We have nurtured a strong leadership team in Brisbane and I am very confident they will continue to build upon the brand’s growth in this market.
“I am also really looking forward to working with the national management team in taking Ikon to its next phase of growth and the ongoing evolution of its market offering.”
Connaghan continued: “It’s a great testament to Ikon that we have people across the business who can step up to new positions and are excited to take Ikon to the next stage of its evolution. It’s a bold move that reflects the Ikon approach to building its market offering while developing staff and growth opportunities.”
Sharon Cookson remains managing partner of Melbourne and part of the leadership team.
