Changes as good as holidays at TBWA\
TBWA\ is ringing in the new year with a host of new appointments, promotions and unbridled optimism.
First on the list is Aaron Taylor, who has been appointed general manager of TBWA\TEQUILA.
David Walden, chief executive of the TBWA group, says: “Aaron joined us some months ago from TBWA\ Sydney as a senior player in our account service area. Since then he’s made a terrific contribution and we see a lot of potential in him being able to contribute across the group. And he’s passionate about disruption and media arts, so appointing him general manager makes absolute sense.”
Andrew Stephenson has also been hired as group account director.
“Andrew joins us from DDB where he’s been running a major group,” Walden says. “At TBWA\, he will take over responsibility for a group of businesses and will be reunited with Aaron Taylor who he last worked with at Saatchi’s. Andrew has a proven track record handling a broad portfolio of clients and he’s one of those rare account handlers who brings strategic instinct and good creative judgment to the table, as well as consummate account handling skills.”
Other new recruits are Andrew McLeish and Julie McIver in the strategic planning area.
“This is [McLeish's] first role in an agency but he comes from a senior role at NZ Lotteries where he contributed to the strategic development of a number of their brands. He’s a great thinker and is already using his client background to help us build robust strategies for clients that not only provide a roadmap to creative solutions but are also strongly rooted in commercial reality”.
And Corey Chalmers, who has been with the agency for the last three years, has also been promoted to deputy creative director.
“With creative partner Guy Roberts firmly in control of the creative director’s role, it’s logical for Corey to take on more responsibility,” Walden says.
Simon Mackenzie
December 15, 2009
Hi Ben I used to be the owner of The Wine Vault until it was sold to Jason in Jan 2008 just under two years ago. I note in the first paragraph posted by you on the 14th Dec you made a rather uninformed assumption of the business prior to Jason's ownership and felt you portrayed it in a very poor light. I thought I should write and give you a more informed view of the business that Jason purchased off me. I purchased the business in 2004 and over a period of 3 and 1/2 years we quadrupled the turnover and profitability of the business. This was achieved through old fashioned hard work and a high level of personal service in the shop. To compliment this we ran 2-3 tutoring tastings each month which were always sold out, together with 3-4 themed Wine and Food festivals in our courtyard each year. Our Web site together with our email offers generated approx $10to$15k a month. Don't get me wrong I am not bagging what Jason has done with the business since, I think it is fantastic, I just wanted to give a more balanced view of the business prior to its sale to Jason.
Regards
Simon Mackenzie
Owner Point Wines & Stafford Rd Wine Bar Northcote Point
Martin Bell
December 16, 2009
Erm, this comment thread seems to have snuck into the wrong story. Perhaps it's because Devo has been known to enjoy the odd glass of central Otago Pinot Noir. Regardless, I would just like to add a hearty endorsement and "O for Oarsome" to SImon's latest endeavour, the rather splendid Stafford Rd Wine Bar on the corner of Stafford Rd and Queen St. That's Queen St Northcote Point, people. Over the harbour bridge. You know "the other side". Fine wine, fine tapas-style food, all in a lovely setting. Kind of reminds me of a North Shore version of the Gypsy Tea Room