Dani Bassil and M+C Saatchi Are Both About “Entrepreneurialism”: “That’s A Great Network For Me To Be In”

M+C Saatchi’s new global positioning, ‘Cultural Power’, was a key drawcard for incoming AUNZ CEO Dani Bassil.

“To be honest with you, I don't think I could take on a role where I didn't really buy into the proposition of the business, that just doesn't work from the get go,” she told LBB.

“When it launched, I wasn't even talking to M+C at the time, and I thought, ‘Oh, they're really onto something here.’ 

”What I really want to start to think about when I join is the relevance of [Cultural Power] for Australian and New Zealand businesses, and how we bring that to life across the customer journey. I think that's really interesting, because, as we know, successful brands have to have cultural resonance, and that's what I think is really interesting about it. I can't wait to get under the skin of that.”

She added M+C is “a great network for me to be in, because I feel like there's a lot of entrepreneurialism within the organisation, and that's what I'm all about as well.”

Dani will join the business in August in the newly-created role of group CEO across AUNZ, spanning the M+C Saatchi advertising agency, media agency Bohemia, brand unit Re, the recently-launched consulting business, Passions and PR entities, and Sport and Entertainment.

While the previous strategy at the agency was to have different businesses and specialisms, the plan now is “much more about integrating” the capability set. 

“I don't think brand and advertising is the only story. The experience is just as important – that is the brand from a CX perspective, as much as it is about the actual advertising and everything else in between.”

Dani was previously CEO of Clemenger BBDO, departing in February when BBDO globally merged CHEP Network and Traffik into the business and appointed CHEP leader Lee Leggett as CEO. Previously, she spent two decades in London, including as CEO of Digitas.

In terms of her ambition for the new M+C role, Dani said she will stick with a mantra she has had “for a while.”

“In this game, we can really over complicate things and over-engineer things, but I've tried to always keep things quite simple. That means to create an environment for our talent to feel like they can progress and thrive, help them be happy coming to work every day, create brilliant work, and have clients that love working with us. 

“I think the rest just sorts itself out: the growth, the awards, the whatever. If you nail those things, I think you're onto a pretty good thing. So that's my focus. That's it for now anyway, and then the rest I'll let you know when I get my feet under the desk,” she laughed.

While she’s still meeting the wider M+C team, Dani said the talent within the group is already striking.

“I'm really excited. I haven't met [the whole team] yet, but I know of all of them. The strength of the talent is pretty exceptional, and we've obviously got some of Australia and New Zealand's most iconic brands. There's not really much more you can ask for from a new job than that.”

Justin Graham, CEO of M+C Saatchi Group APAC, will step down from his role later this year after 12 years at the agency, as the Asia businesses restructure to instead be led out of the Singapore headquarters. Dani credited him with leaving “an incredible legacy.”

“He is, in my opinion, one of the nicest people in this industry. What a wonderful person. I appreciate that there are fairly big shoes to fill, but any change of leadership at this level, in this role, is a bit of a changing of guard. 

“Zaid [Al-Qassab, Global CEO] has also come in, he's been in the business for a year globally. He's an incredibly ambitious person, as am I.”

M+C Saatchi announced its Cultural Power positioning in December, ahead of an official launch in March. Last month, local CCO Steve Coll told LBB the positioning allows him to help marketers convert longing into belonging.

"Longing is great, but longing is maybe not enough. They needed something more than that,” he said. 

“And that's what got us to Cultural Power. It is something that we felt was both universal in terms of a lens on customers, but then also in terms of what marketers were up against.

“Across the UK, the US, here, and in other markets, we talked to clients about what challenges they were facing, and it's very clear that this is a tough time to be a marketer. Advertising is important, but it's increasingly hard for advertising to cut through. That's not a secret.”

Rob Doubal and Laurence ‘Lolly’ Thomson are six months into their roles as global CCOs. Locally, the agency recently appointed head of delivery Adrian Jung, and seven creative hires including five new creative directors, as revealed by LBB.

Dani first worked at M+C in London as a freelancer, after arriving from Australia.

"I remember walking in and thinking, 'wow, this is everything I dreamed of and have been working towards in my career'. I've just loved the brand since then. So to be able to have the opportunity to do this kind of role is pretty special for me."

She added, "I also think people forget that M+C is an independent network. I have nothing against the hold-cos at all, but it's nice to be back in an indie again, and I'm really excited about that. It's just a different kind of model."