WiTH Collective partner and chief creative officer, Steve Coll, has left the agency to take up the role of head of Creative Shop, Facebook Australia and New Zealand.

Coll leaves after four years at WiTH Collective. He joined four years ago after a briefd stint at Droga5 Sydney as executive creative director. Before Droga5 Sydney, Coll was executive creative director at Havas Worldwide Sydney.

Coll stated, “It’s rare to get an opportunity to do something completely different at work. So naturally, after 20+ years in creative agencies, including a wonderful 4 years at WiTH Collective, I’m incredibly excited to join Facebook. I can’t wait to start work with Will and the team.”

Will Easton, managing director, Facebook Australia and New Zealand, added, “We couldn’t be more excited that someone of Steve’s calibre is joining Facebook. He is a key contributor to the wider industry and has an infectious enthusiasm about how technology and creativity can co-exist to deliver meaningful outcomes. With the pace and scale of innovation there has never been a more important time for Facebook to collaborate with our creative community.”

Justin Hind, chief executive director of WiTH Collective, stated, “Steve has been an amazing creative leader for us over the past four years, he’s done a great job for our clients and a great job in leading our creative teams. Steve made a decision to leave the agency side of the industry and join a leading global technology company for the next phase of his career in a role he’ll excel in. Everyone here wishes him every success in his next phase.”

Coll is one of Australia’s top creatives known for campaigns like McDonald’s Inner Child at Leo Burnett Sydney:

Walker’s Sandwich campaign at AMV/BBDO London:

which won the inaugural Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness at Cannes.

At Havas Australia he led the Virgin Mobile’s Fair Go Bro campaign:

which also won a Lion Cannes winner for Creative Effectiveness:

…the world’s first petition-signing robot for Save Our Sons, which won a D&AD Black Pencil:

and the wearable tech-led Fundawear campaign for Durex.

In total, he has won more than 20 Cannes Lions and a Black Pencil at D&AD. He is also the only creative to have been invited to join the board of ADMA.

During the time Coll was executive creative director of Havas Australia, the agency enjoyed record-breaking growth and its most successful creative period ever. Coll changed the agency creative product to make Havas one of the most integrated and collaborative agencies in Australia. At the 2012 Cannes International Advertising Festival, Havas Sydney was the fourth most-awarded agency in Australia and New Zealand, and the second most-awarded office in the Havas Worldwide network. In 2013, won 5 Silvers at AWARD, Gold at the Clio Awards and 7 Lions, making Havas Sydney the number 1 agency in the Havas worldwide network at Cannes. The agency doubled in size, winning numerous pitches, including eBay and the Australian Defence Force account. As a result, Coll was named Havas Worldwide Person of the Year.