TBWA\AUNZ CEO Paul Bradbury Exits After 20 Years

Paul Bradbury, the CEO and president of TBWA\AUNZ, has resigned after almost 20 years at the business.

Earlier today, ex-Clemenger BBDO boss Nick Garrett was finally confirmed as Omnicom Advertising Group Oceania CEO. 

Paul becomes the latest long-standing CEO to leave his post: This year, his counterpart at Omnicom stablemate DDB, Andrew Little, left after 25 years at the business. At Clemenger, longtime chair Robert Morgan (46 years) and CEO Les Timar (27 years) both stepped down. Elsewhere, Ogilvy's Sally Kissane recently announced her exit after 30 years at the business.

Paul was responsible for the portfolio of agencies within the TBWA Group across its Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland offices, including Telstra's bespoke agency, +61; Apple agency Media Arts Lab; PR shops Eleven and Fleishman Hillard; Bolt; and TBWA Sustain.

In May, he told LBB the business grew its revenue by 30% after spending the past two years becoming a new business powerhouse, transforming its pricing practices, investing almost half its payroll in strategic and creative talent, and embracing bespoke models.

In that time, the agency teamed up with indie Bear Meets Eagle on Fire and Omnicom media agency OMD to win the Telstra business -- the biggest advertising account in the country . Over the past year, TBWA\AUNZ has also won Defence Force Recruiting, Goodman Fielder, and Tourism New Zealand's global campaign.

“Let’s be honest, the last couple of years have been very turbulent and tough for many of the network agencies," he said at the time of the May interview.

“The tide still feels very favourable for independent agencies globally, so to be the one network agency that is pushing against that tide in Australia and New Zealand is an exciting place to be.”

He added TBWA has been the fastest-growing creative agency group across the region.

In February, he appointed a new MD and CSO in Elektra O'Malley and Michael Hogg, respectively, and hired Matt Keon as CCO in April, following the departure of CCO Evan Roberts (who left to set up his own agency).

The Melbourne business is led by CEO Kimberlee Wells, while Catherine Harris is CEO of TBWA\New Zealand.

The news of Nick's appointment was revealed to staff via an all-staff memo sent this morning. Nick will report directly to global Omnicom chairman and CEO John Wren. OAG global CEO Troy Ruhanen -- Paul's former boss; Troy was previously global TBWA CEO -- also reports to John Wren.

Upon its formation, Troy told LBB OAG would address the fact that “our clients need more from us" and flex to solve clients' problems as competitor holding companies have "gotten weak".

After a stint at Deloitte Digital as worldwide lead for the marketing and commerce division, Nick will be responsible for leading Omnicom across the region, spanning creative, media, PR, performance, and production. Omnicom Media Group has been run by COO Kristiaan Kroon after long-time CEO Peter Horgan departed the business earlier this year.

Creatively, Nick will be charged with ensuring the Clemenger merger results in the agency lifting its creative reputation, and overseeing a rebuild at DDB following a number of senior staff and client exits.

Nick will reunite with former Clems colleague Stephen de Wolf, who was announced as Clemenger's incoming chief creative officer last month.

LBB has contacted Omnicom and TBWA\AUNZ for comment.