Stephen de Wolf Returns to Clemenger BBDO as Chief Creative Officer
Stephen de Wolf is returning to Clemenger BBDO as chief creative officer, ending a global search to fill the biggest open role in Australia. He last held the role at the agency in 2020, and five years on, becomes responsible for reviving Clems' creative pedigree following its merger with CHEP and Traffik.
He told LBB, “Clemenger has been a defining foundation for so many of the creative leaders we see in our industry today, me included, so I feel a huge responsibility in ensuring we create an environment that does the same for our future creative leaders.
“I’ve always believed there are creative agencies in the world that, when at their best, hold industries accountable and show us what great truly is. Clemenger has been one of those and the opportunity to be a part of a team with aspirations to get back there is humbling.”
He joined BMF as CCO last year, following stints in the same role at DDB Group Australia and BBH London. He left Clemenger to head to London in 2020, after spending six years rising through the ranks from CD to CCO, and making work like the globally renowned ‘Meet Graham’. Transport Accident Commission, the government agency client for the project, is currently pitching its creative account; Clems is on the shortlist with Omnicom stablemates DDB and TBWA.
Clems CEO Lee Leggett – appointed in February in line with the CHEP and Traffik merger – said Stephen’s return to the business “is more than a hire – it’s a statement.”
“He’s not just a world-class creative. He’s someone who knows the heart of this agency and believes in what we’re building," she added. "His leadership will help shape the Clemenger of tomorrow.”
In an interview with LBB in April -- her first as CEO -- she said she was looking for a CCO to act as a partner to her in the same way global BBDO CCO Chris Beresford-Hill partners with global CEO Nancy Reyes.
Both Chris and Nancy, plus global OAG boss Troy Ruhanen, were significantly involved in the hiring process.
The creative leader best known as Wolfie will serve three months’ notice at BMF. He replaced Alex Derwin, who was at BMF for almost nine years before leaving to set up an indie with ex-The Monkeys CSO Hugh Munro last year.
The Enero agency’s CEO, Stephen McArdle, said in a statement provided to LBB, “Wolfie is a great creative leader who has helped us maintain the positive momentum we’ve built up at BMF in his short time with us.
“We’re disappointed he won’t be here to write the next chapter, but we wish him nothing but the best, as he takes on the challenge at Clemenger in three months’ time.
“Fortunately for us, we have an incredible creative department packed with world-class talent and strong creative leadership already in place. And as we move into a period of significant growth, we’ll be focused on enhancing that creative leadership with talent that shares our belief in enduring ideas that drive marketing effectiveness and fame for our incredible clients and their brands.”
Wolfie told LBB "time at BMF has been an amazing privilege.”
“They've been a constant creative and strategic consciousness in our industry, but once you’ve worked there you know there's another true super power – the people and the culture. Working with Steve [McArdle, CCO], Tina [Christina Aventi, CCO], the two Daves [Williams and Fraser, CFO and co-ECD] along with the rest of the BMF team has been a career highlight. I want to thank them all for that.”
In addition to ‘Meet Graham’, during his first round as Clemenger BBDO CCO, Wolfie was behind lauded campaigns including Snickers' 'Hungerithm' platform for Mars, Airbnb’s ‘Until We Belong’, and Myer’s ‘Naughty or Nice Baubles’. That body of work saw Clems become the first Australian agency to be named the most creative in the world at both D&AD and Cannes Lions in 2017.
In February, Nancy told LBB in an exclusive interview the motivation behind the merger was “to get BBDO to its place of greatness, which we're confident will happen.”
CHEP CEO Lee became CEO of the new entity, existing Clems CSO Simon Wassef remained in his role, and CHEP deputy CCO Glen Dickson held his role.
Clems CEO Dani Bassil (since named M+C Group Saatchi AUNZ’s incoming CEO) and CCO Adrian Flores, and CHEP CCO Gavin McLeod and CSO Lilian Sor (who headed to Howatson+Co) were among the departures.
With Clems finding its next creative leader, Dentsu remains on the hunt after Ben Coulson recently exited after 18 months.
The year’s biggest local creative moves have also included Matty Burton being promoted to DDB Group AUNZ CCO, and Barbara Humphries and Damon Stapleton being elevated to Droga5 AUNZ co-CCOs following Tara Ford’s move to London.
This week, The Australian reported Omnicom is looking to fully buy out Clemenger Group, taking over the 13.16% of shares currently spread out between approximately 350 employees. BBDO Worldwide currently owns a majority stake of 86.84%.
Clemenger has operated a staff share scheme since 1973, giving all Australian and New Zealand employees of companies within the Group the ability to apply for shares. Omnicom’s BBDO Worldwide purchased a 35% stake in the Clemenger agency in 1972, and increased its share to 74% in 2011.
The proposed deal will be taken to a vote on June 30th (the day Robert Morgan’s recently-announced retirement as chair of Clemenger Group takes effect), and if successful, will give Omnicom full ownership.
Global OAG boss Troy is getting close to announcing the local leader for the group, which includes TBWA, DDB, and BBDO agencies Clemenger and Colenso.
Globally, Omnicom’s proposed acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG) is expected to be finalised in the second half of 2025. The combined company will retain the Omnicom name and trade under the OMC ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange.
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Reporting by Brittney Rigby and Tess Connery-Britten
