Toby Talbot is returning to Saatchi & Saatchi after nearly a decade, to partner managing director, Paul Wilson, in the newly created role of chief creative officer of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, covering both the Auckland and Wellington offices. He will begin work at Saatchi & Saatchi in April.
Talbot resigned his position as chief creative officer of DDB Sydney in May 2016 after two years, and returned to New Zealand to join Assignment Auckland as managing director.
Wilson commented, “Toby is a proven creative leader with extensive international and local experience. He is a fresh, progressive creative thinker and all round top bloke. We had a great time working together in the past, so I’m really looking forward to working with him again. With Toby, Gus, Corey and the rest of our talented team in place, we now have an even more compelling creative force to offer our clients.”
l-r: Paul Wilson & Toby Talbot
Talbot has held senior creative roles in both Australia and New Zealand in a twenty+ year career at Colenso BBDO, DDB (New Zealand and Australia), Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R in London, Whybin/TBWA and Assignment.
He is currently the #1 executive creative director in the world on Bestadsontv’s rankings over the last ten years. He has won many local and international awards including Campaign Asia’s Creative of the Year for Australia and New Zealand. He was also behind the most awarded mobile campaign in the world this year, #comeonin for Sydney Opera House, and led the creative and digital renaissance of DDB Sydney, Australia’s most awarded agency at Cannes last year with 12 Lions.
Talbot stated, “I last worked with Paul when, ironically, I’d just left Saatchi & Saatchi. We have long talked about working together again, so it’s great to finally make it happen. Paul and his senior team have created something really compelling – a truly collaborative, inclusive culture that not only am I drawn to, but so it appears, new clients are too. Creatively, Gus and Corey have done a fantastic job and now I am looking forward to building on this with them, forging new partnerships and generally getting stuck in.”
Michael Rebelo, chief executive officer for Publicis Communications ANZ added, “Toby’s appointment further reinforces and acknowledges the momentum we have seen at Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand and the commitment we have to this market. Paul has done a great job leading our agency and shaping this into an exciting creative business that’s fit for the future. Now with Toby joining the team, we’re in an even stronger position to grow and develop our offering in New Zealand.”
