In a bold move to increase the creative firepower of Berry Bush BBDO, a number of senior appointments have just been announced at the well known Cape Town agency. Award-winning art director, Ivan Johnson, who has grown with the agency over the past four years is taking the helm as main agency Creative Director.
New Berry Bush team: Peter Gausis, Trusha Naidoo, MD Nic Bednall Ivan Johnson and Andrew Brand
Johnson will be calling on the focused skills of Trusha Naidoo, who is appointed Creative Director Beyond-The-Line. Additionally, Andrew Brand assumes the mantle of Creative Director: Retail. All under the steely guidance of multi-award winning BBDO international Executive Creative Director, Peter Gausis.
A development, which will create a formidable partnership with Gausis, is the appointment of Nic Bednall as the new Managing Director.
Martin Neethling, the incumbent Managing Director of Berry Bush will be leaving the group at the end of September 2004. Neethling stated: "While my four years here have been among the most enjoyable of my professional life, the time has come for others to take the agency forward into its next era creatively."
According to founding partner, Rob Berry: "This management shake up is unparalleled in the life-cycle of Berry Bush and hearkens back to the positive revolution of our first generation of leaders." Berry, together with fellow founder, Lewin de Villiers, will play a much more focused role in mentoring and anchoring the new squad.
Net#work BBDO founders Keith Shipley and Mike Schalit have recently been tasked by BBDO World-wide to play a more active group role. Says Berry, "this not only gives us a huge injection of energy and talent, but also frees Lewin and I up to concentrate on growing and consolidating our people and clients in Cape Town."
Tracy O'Brien Publicity for Berry Bush BBDO
