A new creative era begins for J.Walter Thompson London

J. Walter Thompson London has promoted Lucas Peon, digital executive creative director to executive creative director. Russell Ramsey has stepped down after nine years.

This change makes JWT the only creative agency in its competitive set now to have as its creative leader someone who has previously held executive creative director roles at both a top ten digital technology agency and at a top ten integrated creative agency.

Peon is part of a new senior team created by JWT to adapt to industry changes and leap frog the competition with its clients.

Lucas Peon

The new team is:

James Whitehead, chief executive officer
Lucas Peon, executive creative director
Dani Bassil, integrated operations director
Neil Godber, head of planning
plus new hires and promotions – Allan Blair, head of digital planning; Emma Hoyle, director of talent and Simone Forster, director of client partnerships.

The reshaping of J. Walter Thompson London’s approach to brand building began with the appointment of Dani Bassil in 2015. Bassil has been shaping the agency into a more integrated and digital offering.

Peon was appointed from top communications and technology agency, Possible, in 2016, where he was chief creative officer. More recently, Allan Blair, formerly head of strategy for Tribal Worldwide London and Emma Hoyle who was head of HR for Channel 4, have been added.

Peon will officially take the role at the end of January. Since joining JWT as digital executive creative director, he has been leading the business’s integrated brand creativity on a host of its key accounts including Nestle and Shell and has worked on projects such as Best Day of My Life, the most watched brand film of 2016. He has also been pivotal to many of the agency’s most significant new business wins over the past 12 months.

Peon’s 20 year experience includes campaigns for McDonald’s, Johnnie Walker, Shell, Nestle, P&G, Gillette, Skype, Canon, Heineken, Peroni, Volkswagen, Doritos and Danone. And he has won all the awards that matter.

James Whitehead, chief executive of J. Walter Thompson London, commented, “We’re reinventing what brand building creativity means for the wonderfully diverse world in which we live. Lucas is that rare breed who combines experience as a brand storyteller and a digital and technology innovator, with being a published writer and film director. He’s a truly progressive creative leader and collaborator.

“We’re evolving with speed, literally moving at the pace of culture, so that we and our clients can leap frog the competition, and this is what Lucas and the new team we’re building allows us to do.”

Peon added, “JWT is synonymous with building great brands and telling great stories for an amazing roster of clients. We’re building a very talented team here with the hunger to do the best work in the industry. There’s nothing I want more than to help them do this by telling stories in new and interesting ways using all the media and technologies available.”

Ramsey joined J. Walter Thompson London in 2008 as executive creative director and added the title, executive partner, in 2013. He ran the agency alongside James Whitehead and Joseph Petyan.

Russell Ramsey

During his time at JWT, the agency has produced a host of industry firsts, such as putting a KitKat in space and creating an edible poster for Kipling, as well as creating long-running multi-award winning campaigns such as Kenco Coffee Vs Gangs. He has also been the force behind a host of Cannes winning campaigns for Shell, HSBC, First Direct, Kleenex, Listerine and Tourism Ireland.

Ramsey noted, “The recent management changes have made this seem like a natural break for me to pursue another creative challenge. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done and the awards we’ve won on some of the world’s most iconic brands. I’ve also no doubt the department I’ve built will provide the leadership the agency needs going forward.”

Toby Hoare, chief executive officer of J. Walter Thompson Europe, commented, “When Russell joined us he did so at a time when we really needed the creative boost he undoubtedly gave us. Lucas brings us something different and the combination of his talent and integrated experience and James’ energy and drive put us in a really strong position for the future.”