Antony Nelson and Mike Sutherland have moved up from their positions as executive creative directors at adam&eveDDB to become chief creative officers, following the departure of chief creative officer, Richard Brim, to launch a start-up in February with ex-chief strategy officer, Martin Beverley. Will Grundy has been chosen as new chief strategy officer.

Nelson joined adam&eveDDB in 2017 as deputy executive creative director with partner, Mike Sutherland. They became executive creative directors a year later. That same year, the agency won Cannes Agency of the year, with 27 Lions.

The pair met at Doncaster College and have partnered as creatives ever since. They began their careers at Saatchi & Saatchi under the guidance of David Droga, before moving to Fallon London. In 2024, they moved to Publicis New York to work with David Droga again, and two years later began an 11-year stint at AMV BBDO. In 2023, they were named Ad Age Creative Directors of the Year and ranked as the second highest awarded executive creative directors in the world at Cannes. Together, they have won 70 D&AD Pencils, including a Black Pencil and 10 Yellow Pencils, plus 35 One Show Pencils, as well as 48 Cannes Lions including 2 Grand Prix and 58 British Arrows awards.   

Their work for Club 18-30 is also one of the most awarded print campaigns of all time according to the Gunn report and their Spare the act campaign for Currys PC World is the most awarded TV campaign in British Arrows history. They created Project84 the multiple award-winning piece of work for CALM, that led to the appointment of the first ever UK Minister for Suicide Prevention.

Cover image l-r; Mike Sutherland & Antony Nelson