Sara Tate to Lead TBWA\London as CEO, Completing Agency Management Team

 

TBWA\London today announced that Sara Tate will be taking the helm of the agency as CEO.

The move completes the new senior management lineup at TBWA\London, following the appointment of Andy Jex as CCO and Anna Vogt as CSO in July. The new leadership trio will start together October 3rd.

Brian Swords, who has served as Managing Director of TBWA\London since February, and Peter Souter, Global Creative Director and Chairman of TBWA\London, will continue in their respective roles.

Tate joined Lucky Generals as a partner shortly after the agency announced that it had sold a majority stake to TBWA Worldwide and would be operating within a new TBWA UK Group structure. The trio will report into Helen Calcraft, founding partner of Lucky Generals and CEO of TBWA’s UK Group.

Troy Ruhanen, President and CEO of TBWA Worldwide commented: “We are an agency group on the rise and not interested in looking for yesterday's comfortable CEOs. We need masters of restlessness. Agitators, not politicians. So as we conducted the search and waded through the establishment, the answer became obvious. Sara's track record at strategically rigorous, groundbreaking cultures is exceptional. She is not interested in recounting the old ways of working, but driving a team that wants to create tomorrow, today. Not to mention she has an outstanding reputation in the marketplace, and relationships with clients, talent and consultants that are second to none."

An additional factor behind the appointment is Tate's previous experience working with Jex at Mother London, where she spent 10 years, first as a Strategy Director running Boots No 7 and the agency’s global Coca-Cola business. At Mother London she ultimately rose to Managing Director. Prior to that, she spent time at Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and BBH, where she worked on globally renowned brands such as British Airways and Baileys.

Calcraft said: "As you'd expect, we're firm believers in the power of a close team. So when we saw how well these three got on, we realised there was a unique opportunity staring us all in the face. Sara’s track record makes her the perfect candidate and we all look forward to working with her in this new guise, going forwards."

Tate said: "One of the reasons I joined Lucky Generals was that I was interested in the ambition behind the new group. So when this opportunity came along, I jumped at it. TBWA is one of the world's great agency brands and has some fantastic clients and people. I can't wait to begin working with them, alongside my new team-mates."

Ruhanen concluded: “I am incredibly excited about our momentum and the advantages of our dual-pronged strategy in the UK. We have two distinct brands with the opportunity for collaboration where it can make a real difference. We look forward to seeing great things from Sara and the team in the coming months.”

 

 

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