Bednall will provide management continuity during the next three months as D'Oliveira settles into his new position.
D'Oliveira, who is delighted to have finally joined what is said to be the world's most decorated agency network, BBDO, sees his new role as a continuation of Bednall's initiatives over the past three years, to grow capacity and move the agency into a leadership position.
“The agency's growth and improved creative output over the last three years was recognised when it was named a finalist in the 2007 Financial Mail agency of the Year awards. I am partnered by a young, hungry talented team, and am convinced the agency is ready, and our mantra of THE WORK, THE WORK, THE WORK will facilitate this,” comments D'Oliveira.
Ivan Johnson continues as creative director, and is joined by Stephanie Safari as head of planning. Safari brings twelve years of London planning experience to BBDO Cape Town. She will be rolling out a new strategic planning model that sees strategy, media and account management having a more meaningful contribution to the output of the creative work.
Andrew Brand has been promoted to head of retail, and with overseeing the establishment of a new Activation Unit within the agency, to be launched next month. Sonja Fahn, current deputy creative director to Brand, steps up to the position of creative director: retail – a promotion that will see her continue to bolster the agency's creative offering in the retail environment.
The new team will be actively supported by Mike Schalit and Keith Shipley, both now living in Cape Town. It was expected that they would begin to make their presence felt and these changes are also intended to facilitate their experience.
Schalit, South Africa's leading creative director for the past 10 years, has begun to plan an increasingly meaningful role in driving the creative culture of the agency toward an even stronger creative output. “We've only just begun, and seeing the shift in commitment by the entire agency toward producing world class ideas is making my mission really exciting,” comments Schalit.
“BBDO Cape Town is evolving into a multi-disciplinary agency – we are developing a collaborative forum of in-house specialists and top creatives across all media. The agency's combined brand and retail expertise combined with its digital capacity and new brand activation division will position BBDO Cape Town as a key player.”
