The TBWA/London breakaway agency led by Simon Clemmow and Johnny
Hornby has poached Lowe Lintas' creative director, Charles Inge, to
complete its senior management line-up.
Lowe is believed to have already approached Leo Burnett's executive
creative director, Nick Bell, with an offer to replace Inge. However,
both sides refused to confirm the move.
Inge, who resigned from Lowe Lintas on Tuesday morning after 15 years
with the agency, will take an equal partnership stake in the
breakaway.
A final name for the agency, currently known as Clemmow Hornby, has yet
to be decided.
The move marks a creative coup for Clemmow and Hornby. Inge is one of
the Cannes Advertising Festival's most prolific individual award
winners, with more than 60 gold and silver awards.
He took home a Grand Prix for his Independent commercial, "Litany", two
years ago and oversaw a further Lowe's win for Stella Artois in 2000,
during his second year as creative director.
Hornby said:"Simon and I fell in love with Charles immediately. He has a
staggering reel and he produces big ideas for big brands, campaigns that
make a real difference to companies' businesses. That's what we want to
do here."
Inge joined Lowe's as a junior art director in 1986. Appointed creative
director in 1999, he helped guide the agency to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10's Agency of the
Year award last year.
He also picked up an IPA Effectiveness Award for the long-running,
"Every little helps" Tesco campaign.
Inge said:"I feel that I've had the best job in London and then found
something better. The stature of Johnny and Simon persuaded me that this
was too good an opportunity to miss. We're all giving up a lot to do
this and that shows a lot of confidence in our own abilities."
Lowe's chief executive, Chris Thomas, said a date for Inge's departure
from the agency had yet to be fixed but stressed that he expected a
smooth transition.
He said:"Of course there's sadness, but we're wishing him well. There
isn't any blood on the carpet."