Wunderman Thompson splits global creative duties between Amsterdam and London

WPP’s Wunderman Thompson, a big factor in CEO Mark Read’s plans for recovery at the ad giant, has taken the unusual step of appointing two global CCOs, one in London, one in Amsterdam. They are Bas Korsten in Amsterdam and Daniel Bonner in London (both below, Korsten right.)

WT global CEO Mel Edwards says: “Bas and Daniel each have an eye for creative solutions and a reputation for putting innovation at the heart of everything they do. Their ability to make ground-breaking work is why they are the ideal creative leadership team at our agency. I couldn’t be more excited to see what the two of them accomplish as creative leaders.”

Korsten says: “Creativity is the lifeblood of Wunderman Thompson. Leveraging our network to build and enhance creative solutions that grow our clients’ business is what truly inspires me. We can do great things together. So, I’m thrilled to step into this new role and I can’t wait to connect all our capabilities with the incredible creative talent we have at the agency.”

Bonner says: “I’m really looking forward to joining forces with Bas and continuing to elevate Wunderman Thompson globally as an inspirational powerhouse. Creativity is a genuine competitive advantage for brands and business, and we are 100% committed to develop groundbreaking ideas for our clients, deeply intertwined with data and technology.”

While both have endless ad gongs to their name it remains to be seen if they can work their magic from such distances on the US and New York in particular, where WPP has been struggling. Two CCOs at least means they can share the burden of flying here and there to supervise various offices. Amsterdam, where Korsten is based, is rapidly becoming a European creative hub to rival London.