Exclusive: Nagy named sole ECD at Clemenger BBDO, Sydney as Spirkovski set to depart

CB Exclusive – Paul Nagy has been named sole executive creative director of Clemenger BBDO Sydney following the decision by joint ECD Mike Spirovski to leave the agency to pursue other opportunities.

An all-staff meeting at Clems is currently underway announcing the news.

“Over the last few months, as a management team we’ve had many conversations about the structure of our creative leadership. Whilst there have been a lot of positives in having joint-ECDs, we’ve increasingly come to realise that the best way forward for Clemenger BBDO Sydney is to have one ECD at the helm,” says Andy Pontin, CEO of Clemenger BBDO Sydney.

“I have had a very open conversation with Mike and Paul about this and in the best interests of the agency we’ve all agreed that Paul is best suited to take on the overall ECD position for the agency. As a result of this, Mike has decided to move on to a new challenge,” saysPontin.

James McGrath, Clemenger creative chairman, added: “Paul is a great talent, and he has proven that time and again over the last year. He has an incredible focus on the work and is hugely respected by his creative peers and his clients.”

Nagy and Spirkovski were hired as joint executive creative directors in June last year, replacing outgoing ECD Richard Maddocks.

Nagy transferred from the creative director gig at Clemenger BBDO, Wellington, while Spirkovski was consulting to Droga5, Sydney. At the time the highly awarded pair reunited after a four year break – they first worked together at Leo Burnett, Sydney from 2004 until 2006.

Spirkovski spent the early days of his career overseas, including a twoyear stint in Canada working for Palmer Jarvis DDB and TBWA. He thenmoved back to Sydney to set up his own agency before joining LeoBurnett Sydney in 2004, where he first worked with Nagy. He is currently at Droga5, Sydney.

Following their successful time together at Leo Burnett, Nagy movedover to Wellington in 2006 to join Clemenger BBDO where he waseventually made creative director in April, 2008.

Collectively the duo have won more than 200 local and internationalawards, with gold, silver and bronze results at every major award showincluding Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, Clio, and AWARD.

Key achievements include a Titanium Lion, back-to-back Goldand Silver Lions and creating one of the global Top 10 digitalcampaigns of 2009. Other career highlights for Nagy include opening and runningAWARD School in New Zealand, and being instrumental in Clemenger BBDOWellington being named the most highly awarded agency in the mosthighly awarded network at Cannes in 2007. Spirkovskiplayed a part in Publicis Mojo Sydney winning the AWARD 2009Agency of the year title.