Saatchi & Saatchi ECD resigns

Saatchi & Saatchi ECD Dylan Harrison has resigned just eight months after starting in the role.

He’s to return to his native Australia in January, to join DDB Sydney as ECD, but will stay on at the agency until December.

Saatchi CEO Nicky Bell said she is naturally disappointed.

“But, in a funny way, with this first phase of the agency’s reinvention complete, now is probably the best time for him to go.”

Ms Bell said it was no secret the agency had faced a challenging few months after she and Mr Harrison started.

“We had some of the toughest briefs in the business to crack and were under some pretty intense pressure at times.

“But the agency has really come into its own during this period and, as a result, we now have a tight, cohesive team, a positive spirit, and a raft of great work in production for our brands. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved together.

“We know our clients, our people and our community much more intimately now, and the search for a new creative head for the next phase of the agency’s evolution will be well informed by that.”

Mr Harrison said the decision to leave is a difficult one.

“The opportunity to return to Sydney with my young family proved irresistible.

“I leave confident in the positive momentum we’ve established, Nicky’s inspiring leadership, and the immense creative potential of the agency.”

Mr Harrison replaced outgoing ECD Mike O’Sullivan, who resigned in August last year but wasn’t at liberty to announce it until many months later.

He’s a former employee of DDB London, so the DDB Sydney shift makes sense.

"I can't wait to get started,” Mr Harrison said at the time his Saatchi gig was announced.

“Opportunities like this are so rare, I didn't hesitate. After 13 years in London, I couldn't resist returning to the region. It's not often you get the opportunity to work for an agency as creative as Saatchi's and in a market as dynamic as New Zealand's.”

In the meantime, Saatchi is on a recruitment drive to replace him.

“We’re already on it,” Ms Bell told NBR.

“It’s just great he can work out the next three months, as we’ve got a lot of work in production right now.”

Ms Bell said recruiting for the position the second time around would be easier, knowing the New Zealand landscape, the clients and the agency staff better.

And as for the cheeky suggestion Saatchi should go poaching at DDB in return?

“I’m not going to answer that, I’m just going to laugh knowingly!”

Clients have been informed and a formal announcement is expected soon.