VMLY&R has brought the Sydney and Melbourne businesses closer together with single leadership across both and greater collaboration between them. VMLY&R Melbourne executive creative director, Jake Barrow, will lead creative across Sydney and Melbourne. Melbourne managing director, Sarah Bailey, will head the Sydney and Melbourne offices. the Sydney office.

To accompany the expansion of the managing director and executive creative director roles, business leaders will now represent all key disciplines in creative, technology, experience & design, client service, strategy, business development and delivery in both Sydney and Melbourne markets. Essentially, leaders will support teams across both offices working jointly on key client campaigns including those for the Army Reserve, Vodafone and Rip Curl. Charmaine Griffith recently joined VMLY&R from PWC as director of business development and marketing for both Melbourne and Sydney.

Barrow stated, “Creativity will seep into every nook and cranny of the agency. I’m really excited to see different skillsets colliding to form new ways to solve problems.”

Bailey added, “We have incredible talent in both our Sydney and Melbourne offices and simply want to seamlessly connect these individuals across our entire client portfolio without structures getting in the way. This latest leadership development is a tangible example of our Connected Brands strategy coming to life, and I have no doubt it will lead to even better work.”

Thomas Tearle, chief executive officer of VMLY&R Australia & New Zealand, noted, “This move towards increased collaboration is a no brainer – it provides pure upside for our people and our client partners. Sarah and Jake are the perfect people to lead the charge and they have the full support of Ali Tilling (CSO), Paul Nagy (CCO) and me.”