Tim Green has been prised away from Leo Burnett to take the creative reins at Havas

This is Tim Green, through the eyes of an adman who worked with him at Leos. [Amir Mireskandari is now group operations director at M&C Saatchi.]

“Tim is an amazing creative and a great leader. His approach to creative problem solving is inspiring. He is very generous with his time and guidance, incredibly intelligent and one of the most genuine people I know. His creative genius is equally matched with his unparalleled talent for craft and eye for detail, and his amazing business sense – effectiveness of his work is just as important to Tim as its creative and craft standards.

“Tim is loved and respected by everyone he works with, his clients and industry partners, not only for being one of the best and most awarded creatives around, but also for being an incredible human being. He is an icon in the global creative community, and it’s been an absolute honour to have known and worked with him these past few years.”

Anthony Gregorio, chief executive officer of Havas Worldwide Australia Group, seems to be finding out that he’s made a good choice too. “He’s a terrific operator with a fantastic track record of award winning work on clients big and small, at great agencies. It’s a mark of the bloke that since it’s been known amongst some in the industry I have received numerous calls saying ‘great hire’.”

Green can fill his new office wall with ad awards and jury positions. The one he will put on his desk is a Cannes Lion Effectiveness award for the Bundaberg Rum, Watermark campaign. It was the only Australian campaign of the nine that entered to be nominated in the category at Cannes in 2012.

He has spent the last 6 years with Leo Burnett, beginning in Sydney and then moving to Singapore as chief creative officer there in 2013. He was executive creative director at both Y&R in Brisbane and JWT regionally across South East Asia.

“Havas has doubled in size in the last few years and there are huge opportunities here with our client list and the Havas Village model with advertising, digital, PR and media all working together to drive a different perspective on the way we work with our clients.  Tim’s philosophy of ‘ideas that move’ marries up perfectly with the Havas Village model and the work we have been making for a few years now. We’re excited about Tim leading the creative charge,” Gregorio added.

Green will start work at Havas in early December.