FBI launches in Europe, headed by ex-180 Amsterdam head of talent, Astrid Boesze

FBI Recruitment is launching in Europe today with former 180 Amsterdam head of talent Astrid Boesze (pictured, left) as managing partner. At FBI Europe, Boesze will continue to build the bridge of great talent between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. FBI Europe will initially be headquartered in Amsterdam, with plans to open up a London office next year. Headquartered in Sydney, the creative recruitment company was founded in 1994 by Patsy Peacock, currently at the Cannes International Advertising Festival, introducing Boesze to worldwide creativedirectors. She will be joined by FBI partner Michael Kean.

Peacock told The Australian she expects quite a large exodus of our best people, particularly among younger creatives, in the next year.

DDB London executive creative director Jeremy Craigen said Australia and New Zealand are probably two years ahead of London in terms of true integration. “So for me, hiring top Aussie and Kiwi talent helps us catch up. Aussies and Kiwis are great at delivering creative solutions with small budgets, whereas a lot of UK creatives see small budgets as a restriction,” he said. “As our budgets are getting smaller here in the UK, the relevance for this type of thinking is rapidly increasing. We had a recent global DDB management meeting in Vancouver to highlight where the best work within the network is coming from. At least 35% of the work shown came from Australia and New Zealand.”

As head of talent for 180 Amsterdam for over seven years, Boesze was responsible for scouting and hiring all levels of world-class talent for the agency. This required her to establish and maintain relationships with the best creative talent in the world and keep a strong pulse on the fast-paced creative industry of advertising, design and digital. Her remit included all front-end agency recruitment (creative, account, project management, planning) for 180 Amsterdam’s 150 person agency; start-up creative recruitment of 180LA and of 180’s sister company, RIOT – a digital entity of more than 55 people, within its first year. Boesze has a BA is in Communications and Graphic Design and a Masters degree is in Social Work and Counselling.

She grew up in the US, Germany and Austria and has been living in Amsterdam for the last  decade. She said her goal for FBI Europe is to facilitate great connections between agencies and creatives, and to pass on the hard working yet laid back and good-natured vibe from ‘Down Under’.

Peacock (pictured above with Droga5 founder, David Droga) added: “We’re very excited about Astrid heading up FBI Europe. We’re confident she can apply her understanding of the global world of advertising and her agency insight with her recruitment experience to help agencies and talent make the right personal and professional connections.  Now with Michael Kean as managing partner in the Southern Hemisphere and Astrid as managing partner in Europe, FBI will be the only truly international creative talent specialists.”