±±¾©Èü³µpk10

Chris Barraclough, a founding partner and executive creative

director of Barraclough Hall Woolston Gray, is stepping back from the

agency’s day-to-day business to take on the role of chairman.

The move is part of the agency’s recent restructure, which saw the

formation of client-focused, mixed-discipline teams and more investment

in research.

’There are lots of people running the agency and doing a better job of

it than I would,’ Barraclough explained.

’With the relaunch of the agency and its repositioning, it’s important

to hold on to all the things that are good - the culture, atmosphere and

environment that people know and like. Amid change, it is very difficult

not to lose track and to retain leadership.’

Barraclough will relinquish much of his responsibility for running the

creative department and only work on the agency’s biggest accounts and

pitches. Many of his responsibilities will be handed to the managing

director, Dennis Kerslake, and the creative director, Nick Moore.

As well as focusing on internal issues, Barraclough will take a more

active role in promoting the agency to the outside world. He said: ’One

lesson we learned last year was that we didn’t present ourselves very

well to the industry. I aim to be the human face of it and tell the

world what we’re like.’

While Barraclough becomes the chairman - the agency’s first - the other

three partners retain their existing titles: deputy chairman, Elly

Woolston, chief executive, Simon Hall, and executive creative director,

Duncan Gray.