The industry gathered yesterday to farewell Peter Cameron, DDB Group AUNZ’s chief financial officer of almost 15 years who passed away earlier this month.
McDonald’s chief customer officer Chris Brown, Telstra chief marketing officer Brent Smart, and DDB’s former global CEO Marty O’Halloran were among those in attendance, in addition to dozens of DDB staff past and present.
Cameron passed away on 3 February after a 15-month battle with cancer, surrounded by his wife, Anni, and children Rio and Aria, all of whom work in the creative industry.
Cameron worked alongside Rio and Aria at DDB for a time; at the funeral, Rio spoke about how these were some of his fondest memories with his dad.
“He was a good and great man whom I met 31 and a half years ago,” Anni wrote last week, announcing the news. “As everyone who knows us knows, from the day we met we did everything together. And when we were blessed with Rio and Aria, we did everything as a four.
“Peter will be enormously missed by his close and extended family, his incredible colleagues at DDB, peers throughout the industry and the many, many who had the fortune to know and love him.”
Andrew Little, DDB Group’s AUNZ CEO and president, worked with Cameron for the entirety of his DDB career.
“Last week I said goodbye to a best mate and a legend of DDB,” Little wrote a week ago.
“PC and I shared a partnership of close to 15 years, most of that time in offices next to each other. He leaves us with an incredible legacy at DDB and our industry but much more than that, a wonderful family … all of whom are dear to my heart.”
In response, many across the industry paid tribute to Cameron, including Ogilvy chief creative officer Toby Talbot, Supermassive co-founder Simone Gupta, and former GroupM CEO and McDonald’s CMO, Mark Lollback, who said: “PC was a wonderful man and loved life. I enjoyed having the pleasure of knowing him and being one of his clients.”
Clint Bratton, currently the managing director of Proximity New Zealand and the former MD of DDB’s Track, added: “Had the privilege of working with PC twice – at M&C and then at DDB Group. He was the genuine leader in both businesses not only through position and title, but his natural way. Born to lead. PC clearly loved his job and the people he worked with. He will be missed by all – we can all learn from PC, one of the best.”
Cameron began his career at Hertz Walpole in 1987, before spending 13 years at M&C Saatchi Sydney from 1996. There, he was instrumental in growing the agency, leading the APAC region financially and opening offices in Bangkok, Delhi, and Mumbai. He also took over the financial running of the Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Shanghai outposts, and helped open a second Australian office in Melbourne.
He joined DDB in 2009 – the final move of his career.
Vale Peter Cameron.
Those who missed yesterday’s celebration of Peter Cameron’s life can still view the livestream here.