AUCKLAND, Thursday: DDB Australia/New Zealand has promoted NZ chief creative officer Damon Stapleton to the new role of regional chief creative officer Australia/New Zealand. He will remain based in Auckland.
The move to appoint a NZ-based regional leader is a spunky step for the agency – usually these promotions go the other way, with the Aussies taking control.
Across his decorated career, Stapleton’s creative leadership and ability has earned him recognition around the world, and he already plays an influential role within DDB Worldwide’s creative leadership team.
Stapleton’s new regional role will see him also represent Australia and New Zealand on DDB’s global creative council.
DDB AU/NZ chairman/ceo Marty O’Halloran (now based in Sydney) said: “Damon’s role leading the NZ creative department won’t change and he will continue to work with ECD Gary Steele leading the NZ client relationships.
“This new role is really about leveraging Damon’s ability and reputation as a globally respected creative thinker and using that to take our regional creative proposition to new heights,” O’Halloran said.
“This is really about leveraging Damon’s reputation as a globally respected creative thinker, and using that to take our regional creative proposition to new heights.”
In Australia Ben Welsh, Tara Ford and Anthony Moss will continue to lead the creative agenda as they do today, while Stapleton will focus on helping drive DDB’s strategy to be the region’s most effective creative network.
He will remain based in New Zealand, and spend most of his time in Auckland.
He says he’s excited about the scope of his new role, and what’s to come for the network regionally. “It’s a really exciting time to be at DDB. It’s clear that what we’re offering creatively is resonating with clients and driving results for their businesses. I’m looking forward to working on improving that offering even further.”
Stapleton has won over 500 international awards – 60 of them Cannes Lions (including a Titanium, Innovation and Grand Prix) with 35 being won in the last five years at DDB NZ.
He has also won almost 50 D&AD Pencils including five Yellow Pencils and the Black Pencil. In his spare time, he writes a blog called Damonsbrain.com which is published in eight countries and is read by over 150,000 people globally.
About DDB New Zealand
At DDB we believe our business is to grow yours. We do this by giving brands an emotional advantage, using the most powerful force in business: creativity. In 2018 DDB was named NZ’s Most Effective Agency at Effies, as well as Creative Agency of the Year, Digital Agency of the Year, and Social Media Agency of the Year by Campaign Asia-Pacific.
DDB is part of the DDB Group, comprising TRACK (customer, data, CRM), Mango (PR, experiential, social influencer) and Interbrand (strategy, design).
- www.ddb.co.nz
- Stapleton interview in today’s Herald (Premium section)
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