FCB has announced that Bryan Crawford, chairman and ceo of FCB NZ, will split his current responsibilities and will hand over the ceo title to FCB’s current managing director Brian van den Hurk.
Crawford will remain as chairman locally and vice chairman of the global FCB network, based in Auckland. Van den Hurk, with 20 years under his belt at the Auckland agency, is quite possibly its longest-serving staffer. He has held the managing director position for two years.
“Brian’s appointment to ceo is deserved recognition for his outstanding track record in our business and the industry, both internationally and in New Zealand,” said Bryan Crawford. “He has been operating above and beyond his MD role for some time and his formal appointment to ceo of the business recognises this.”
Van den Hurk spent several years with international agencies in Auckland and Wellington before joining FCB to establish an office in Indonesia. The office quickly grew to handle many multinational and local clients in the banking, airline, tourism and FMCG sectors. Since returning to Auckland with FCB he has worked across categories including retail, brand and social change.
Prior to becoming ceo, he led several Auckland-based commercial clients while building a Wellington office with an extensive portfolio of award winning social change government business.
“There is a real drive across the global FCB network to focus on changing consumer behaviour and I’m excited to take on the ceo role and lead the charge on this in the New Zealand market,” said van den Hurk.
“We already have a great track record in this area and I’m proud to continue to work with our strong management team continuing to build effective communications campaigns for our clients.”
In the last two years, FCB New Zealand has brought home 18 Cannes Lions (including four Gold). The agency also won an IPA Gold Effectiveness Award for its depression campaign, which van den Hurk was heavily involved with, the first New Zealand agency to ever win gold at this prestigious event. FCB was also New Zealand’s most effective agency at the 2014 Effie Awards.
Van den Hurk’s appointment is effective from yesterday.
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