Former NZ Lotteries CEO Todd McLeay tipped to replace Walden in CEO role at Whybin\TBWA
CB Exclusive - Following this morning's hot news that Toby Talbot was coming in as chief creative officer at Whybin\TBWA,
Auckland, Campaign Brief can reveal he will be joined by new CEO Todd
McLeay, who will be replacing founding CEO David (Devo) Walden.McLeay, who has never worked in an ad agency before, is currently chief operating officer at APN News & Media, a role he has had since joining in February last year after six years as CEO of NZ Lotteries, a client of Talbot's while he was ECD at DDB New Zealand.
Prior to NZ Lotteries, he was general manager marketing at NZ Post and before that spent six years at Vodafone in various roles.
Todd's a lovely bloke, but he thinks he's a genius and operates accordingly - random ideas, lateral strategy far too late in the process, lobbing grenades just to see what happens. Truth is the great Lotto advertising happened despite him, not because of him.
I guess Todd will open the client doors and Toby will then ride in and deliver some populist ideas that the client will love - there's no better suit in the industry.
I hear 2 Degrees aren't happy to lose Devo and Blood at all. They've made that brand into what it is over the last 5 years, then been shuffled out the door for these boys.
Yes apparently McLeay moved on from APN because his job was done there.
@Ah huh - nope 'Interesting's' earlier post is more accurate. He left APN quietly before Xmas after a staff announcement that he'd 'resigned'. He'd become by accounts the invisible man. But good on him anyway for landing another gig - but this time he'll really find how brutal and tough agency life is - bets on length of tenure longer than NZ Post or APN?
He hardly has a stellar performance behind him (Lotto aside, which is down to the numbers more than anything). Wonder what crazy idea he'll have for TBWA?
This is a smart move. Todd will bring commercial acumen and clear strategic thinking to an overcrowded marketplace. Does it matter that he has not worked in an agency before? Of course not. The only people who think this is an issue are people who have never worked in a true commercial environment. Does he lob grenades - yes - but this is never a bad thing. Was Lotteries successful because of the team - yes - that is the sign of a good leader. Is agency life brutal - yes - but no more than Vodafone or APN.
@ Hads nicely written Toby/Kane
Oh yeah, Todd's commercial acumen worked wonders at APN and NZ Post, where he lasted all of 5 minutes.
Good point about APN and NZ Post. They are organisations that are well known for being commercially savvy and progressive thinkers - yeah right! No-one with a brain and fresh thinking could be successful in those organisations.
@Oh Really and Uh Huh. You are both wrong. He was restructured out of APN, he did not resign. APN even published it in the Business Herald. http://apnregionalnz.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
They look like an odd couple but maybe the 'oil water' chemistry will work on this occasion. It's the "Todd & Toby Show" has a nice ring to it. But why did Toby come back to NZ? Did he just head to the UK to freshen up his Chelsea accent? I assume it was to work out his restraint of trade clause in his DDB contract.
Good man
I know for a fact that he was in control of his move out of APN. And who could blame him - there was no commitment from the board to invest in a digital future. Shortly after he left all the progressive people on the Board and the Group CEO got the chop. Speaks for itself.
I know for a fact that Todd was in control of his move out of APN. That place was insane. There was no commitment from the major shareholder to invest in digital innovation - they believed there was a big future in print. LOL. Shortly after he left all the progressive people on the board and the Group CEO got the chop. Speaks for itself.