Hornby’s T&P in a bind as CEO Appleby shuffles into WPP Media
Well that didn’t work did it? Victoria Appleby, who took over as CEO of WPP’s T&P agency – formerly The&Partnership – a year ago is now off to be WPP Media’s newly-annointed president for growth. Appleby (below) was also appointed a WPP media president shortly after joining T&P so this hardly looks like a promotion. Appleby previously headed up sales at Channel 4.
Jack Swayne, a global partner at T&P which also has a substantial international business, will now take on T&P’s UK clients, who seems to be reducing by the week. Long-time stalwart British Gas has departed as has Nat West. Argos remains one of its two biggest UK accounts alongside News Group but owner Sainsbury’s is trying to sell it after a poor Christmas. Key to T&P, alongside Rupert Murdoch’s News Group, is the Toyota account which it handles on a full service basis across Europe, including the UK.
Agency founder Johnny Hornby, also a member of WPP Global’s executive committee, says: “Our industry is in a moment of profound transformation, with future success defined by our ability to marshal teams, tech and tools in visionary new ways.
“Jack is one of those rare talents who understands the synthesis required to deliver this modern creativity and I know his unique skill set will take our UK business to the next level. I would like to thank Victoria for the great work she has done for our clients and wish her every success in her new role.”
Quite what Hornby, who founded what was originally Clemmow Hornby Inge in 2002, really makes of the current doings at WPP we know not despite his diplomatic noises. But he built a formidable agency, alongside CEO Sarah Golding, and bringing in Appleby – if it was his decision – in some kind of cross-media model never looked remotely convincing.
Media sales people, however senior, do not, by and large, translate to creative agency managers; it’s a completely different mindset. Look at M+C Saatchi.
