FCB Inferno Announces Agency Restructure

FCB Inferno has announced today a restructuring of the agency’s model to answer evolving client needs and fuel growth for the best talent.

Firstly, managing partners Katy Wright and Hollie Loxley have been promoted to head of account management and deputy head of account management, respectively.

The pair will take over responsibility for client services as well as overseeing and evolving the account management team.

Wright said: “It’s a real privilege for me to take the lead in such a strong department and I look forward to helping develop the talent we have to new heights. My focus will be on ensuring we understand and tackle the challenges ahead in partnership with all our clients – to not just meet their expectations but to exceed them.”

In the strategy department, the agency is introducing a new planning department model: The Strategy Collective. The Collective model recognises the need for more specialist planning skills as we increasingly execute throughout the entire consumer journey and also creates a less hierarchical, more collaborative model, operating more like a partnership than a traditional department.

Ben Jaffé will co-ordinate the Collective and be responsible for brand strategy. FCB’s global chief strategy officer Nigel Jones, one of the world’s leading planners, who divides his time between London and New York will provide executive guidance. 

Chief strategy officer, Vicki Holgate and Chris Baker, head of strategy and social change are leaving the agency as part of this restructure.

The Strategy Collective will have a senior lead for each specialty, including six strategy partners, for areas which include: customer experience, data and CRM; media and comms planning; digital and innovation; PR, social and influencer marketing; and retail and B2B. A number of promotions within the agency as well as new hires across these areas will be announced shortly.

The move comes as an extension of how the agency – long known as a pioneer in integration – has been working with agile project teams, allowing for a faster and more flexible way of working, using the right talent at the right time. The changes are intended to drive deeper levels of collaboration between disciplines.

Ben Jaffé said, “It’s an exciting time to be working in our industry; there’s so much to play for, and I feel privileged to be able to help shape the strategy department of the future and create an environment to develop ‘complete’ strategists.”

“A multi-faceted, flexible and nimble strategy structure is what is required to future-proof our offering. We have huge ambitions for the Collective and we will be constantly developing and investing in its evolution to provide cutting edge solutions for our clients,” said Frazer Gibney, chief executive officer at FCB Inferno.

“I am confident that Katy, Hollie, Ben and the collective power of the strategy team are exactly the talents we need to lead us into this exciting new phase.”