Wednesday, October 24, 2007

CHECK MATE: LUKE CHESS RESIGNS FROM BWM SYDNEY


BWM Sydney creative director, Luke Chess and director of digital communications Simon Smith have both resigned from the agency amid a major internal restructure to implement its Hub model across the entire agency.
The multi-awarded Chess had only been at the agency since the beginning of the year (he will leave end of November), lured from Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney. While Smith, brought in from the UK, had only been there for six weeks.
(Late addition: In an email to CB, BWM ECD Rob Belgiovane said: "Group heads will be reporting into me direct. Dean Hamilton...ex 180 Amsterdam, Dave Shirlaw ex M&C and Paul Bennell ex Clems Sydney. Given these guys should be good I reckon.")
In a statement issued today, only one paragraph late in the release mentioned their departures, with the addition of the following: BWM thanks Smith and Chess for their excellent work at the agency, and wishes them well in their next challenge.
Calls to Chess were unanswered.
Paul Williams, BWM CEO, said the rolling out of the Hub model follows huge success of the structure on the BigPond account over the past two years. BWM has developed the model in collaboration with some of the world’s leading contemporary agencies via its affiliation with thenetworkone, which hosts seminars between the world’s leading independent agencies at the Cannes Advertising Festival.
“We want to challenge the traditional ad agency structures and ensure our most senior talent are adding value where it most counts – on our clients’ businesses and brands. We have broken down the traditional Creative, Account Management, Planning and Digital departments, and teamed our most senior people from each skill set into complementary client Hubs. Each Hub will have specific creative, strategic and management autonomy, and report to the core management team of the founding partners and Management Board.
“This aligns the core skill sets to focus on the only thing that clients ultimately care about, big ideas that deliver results.”
Each Hub reports to the core management team of founding partners Executive Creative Director Rob Belgiovane, Williams, and Partner Jamie Mackay, supported by Planning Director Hristos Varouhas and Business Directors Nicole Taylor and Richard O’Rourke.
BWM has recently been named among 11 of the world’s leading independent agencies in a special edition of Campaign Magazine UK, for the second year running. The publication has quickly become a controversial but influential barometer of the rising level of talent in independent advertising and marketing communications agencies.
This year, BWM has added $32m in new business, including the online business of Virgin Money, NIB, PBL’s MyHome.com.au and Slate bourbon from Diageo.

21 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Luke Chess is a supertalent and one of the industry's rare gentlemen. Hope he's going somewhere great.

Nicky Robinson

2:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shit Luke, that's a terrible photo of you mate even with the Lion.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll be better off elsewhere.

4:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That statement from BWM has got more spin than Shane Warne. We can all read between the lines.
Who's next to leave?

4:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Luke will get a job anywhere he wants with eyebrow like that.

4:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I know this is a fast-changing business but phwoah!

On Sept 17 the blog proudly announced BWM's appointment of Simon Smith and his amazing dancing bear. I smell a rat.

But seriously folks, Luke Chess is a great bloke, a top writer and um, er tall to boot.

He must be left shaking his head and rueing the day he left Saatchis.

4:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love Luke, a good bloke. He had a difficult role at BWM. Each of the partners and the head of planning had to put their oar in at every turn. A good creative needs to concentrate on creative. He was never given the space or management to do his best. Good on you Luke. Onto the next Lion.

4:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome to the glamorous world of advertising. You get poached from a prestigious agency with a better salary, then you realise your career and reputation is in someone else's hands.

7:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Put 2 and 2 together, and what do you get? You get 4 legs on a chicken.

8:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's a shame when the hard-sell that was inevitably put to you ain't the whole truth. I guess that's advertising.

9:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Buffalo-stance for CD.

9:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Aaaahhh... the 4 legged chicken. We must go for that beer.

Luke's a great guy and did a fab job. Everyone at BWM wishes him all the very best.

9:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I smell a bell

10:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Simon Smith is a gun. But the fact is you you don't call your ass a bunch of roses, and yet again it goes to show larger 'traditional' agencies don't get digital.

9:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

another off to D5 perhaps?

4:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some how i doubt a Droga5 move.

9:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You should never of left Vinny mate.

9:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is dat choo Vinnie?

Chessticle, god bless you and the Canberra Raiders.

10:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Snickers, you still on the same mobile number?

3:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All good stuff here, Bro'
You'll be fine. Just work on that handicap for a while and then, who knows. Maybe it's time for "Chess & Chess" Advertising. (Based in Melbourne of course).
What with your brains and my good looks......
Onwards and upwards!

7:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

3:12, yes I am.

1:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

1:57 PM is an evil imposter! Schtevo - i did not send that reply. You know where to find me now anyway. Curses to your wicked intervention, 1:57 PM!
The Real Snickers

1:12 PM  

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