Lucky Generals has raided Droga5 in London for what looks like its next generation management, luring CCO Shelley Smoler and CSO Damien Le Castrec to simliar roles, reporting to Generals founders Danny Brooke-Taylor and Andy Nairn.
Lucky Generals was founded in 2023 and sold a majority stake to Omnicom’s TBWA in 2017. Smoler and Le Castrec both earned their spurs at BBH before joining D5.
Third co-founder Helen Calcraft says: “We could not be more delighted to have Shelley and Damien on board. Not only are they fantastically talented individuals, but they are also a formidable team and genuine powerhouse of insight and creativity.
“This has felt seamless and natural since the day we met them, and we cannot wait to see how they will both support and challenge us to be the best we can be. We have never felt luckier.”
Smoler and Le Castrec (above) say: “We’ve absolutely loved our time at Droga5 and remain incredibly proud of all the things we’ve done together but after seven years, it’s time for a change.
“Finding a place where culture, strategy, and creativity are everything is rare. It means everything to them, and it means everything to us. And now, we are ready to make our own luck together.”
Lucky Generals has had an enviably consistent history, producing work ranging from solid to outstanding and helping to put clients like Yorkshire Tea firmly on the map. Cressida Holmes-Smith, another BBH alumnus, is CEO.
