Former Grey Creative Chairman Per Pedersen Launches Indie Agency Collective '& The Network'

When Per Pedersen, one of the world’s most creatively recognised and awarded creatives, left Grey as global creative chairman this summer, it was not for another position. Instead he went independent and is now launching a highly curated Global network of agencies with an important twist. This network is owned by an exclusive collective of independent agencies.

“It’s time to re-think what it means to be a network”, Per Pedersen explains and continues, “I’ve gathered a global creative dream-team of the best of the best creative people I’ve met and worked with over the years. All are extraordinary creative mavericks behind some of our industry’s most exciting agencies. All with a long trail of outstanding creative work”.

The new network is comprised of handpicked creative talent beyond advertising. The disciplines offered include entertainment, music collaboration, experiences, sustainability marketing, digital products and tech innovations. 

“We offer clients direct access to a new breed of agencies and curated creative talent that fit the new challenges facing marketers and CMOs, without all the layers and complexities”, says Per Pedersen. “Even before we opened for business, the interest from clients has been overwhelming.” & The Network is already working on their first Super Bowl brief for a Global Technology brand.

& The Network ambitiously opens for business with 16 founding agency partners covering 20+ markets. Including Paris based Herezie, SMALL and The Sway Effect in New York, Founders with offices in Miami, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Kingston Jamaica, Libre in Panama City, Amsterdam Berlin in Amsterdam and Berlin, Rehab and Free Turn both in London, Worth Your While in Copenhagen, White Rabbit in Budapest, Ostrich Co in Toronto, Mr+Positive in Tokyo and Seoul. Plus a few newly established creative shops including Marvin in Los Angeles, _2045 in Barcelona, Shelly Beach Motorcycle Club in Sydney and Farm in Stockholm and Helsinki. All in all, 400+ creatives and 35 nationalities.

& The Network is pioneering an alternative business model based on cross border collaboration and profit sharing. “We are not owned by money, instead we are owned by the agencies. This means that the agencies remain truly independent and stay creatively focused”, says Per Pedersen and points out that this approach allows the new network to cut away most of the traits of the traditional agencies. “We have no fancy headquarters, no fat cat salary executives and no horde of controllers. Instead we are all obsessed by great ideas.” 

With this rule breaking business model & The Network is already getting traction among Global clients while the paint is still drying on its metaphorical walls. “Even before we opened for business, the interest from clients has been overwhelming” says Per Pedersen “I think we reflect the needs of the future focused clients by breaking the rules of the ‘old’ network’s”, concludes Pedersen. As it says in the network’s presentation: “The future belongs to the rulebreakers”.