Saatchi & Saatchi has promoted Toby Aldred to managing director as chief executive officer Patrick Rowe re-shapes the agency following his appointment earlier this year.
Aldred, who has worked at Saatchi & Saatchi for ten years, will assume his new role in addition to his existing role as chief client officer for The Neighbourhood – the Publicis Groupe connected platform that partners with The Arnott’s Group. Aldred recently led The Neighbourhood team, which includes Saatchi & Saatchi, Spark Foundry, Arc and Herd MSL, to the 2023 Grand Effie Award.
Patrick Rowe, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, called Aldred, the “heart and soul” of the agency.
“He deserves this recognition for his tireless efforts working with clients, supporting teams and keeping the agency running smoothly. And he’s a good person to boot. This promotion is well deserved, and I hope he will be part of our Saatchi family for many years to come,” said Rowe.
Mike Rebelo, CEO of Publicis Groupe ANZ, said he had personally hired Aldred a decade ago at a pub in London and seen his career flourish at Saatchi and Publicis Groupe, leading the Arnott’s client team.
“I couldn’t think of a more people and client-focused leader and all-around good human to help drive the continued growth of the agency,” he added of Aldred’s new role.
Aldred said he was excited to take on his new role with the agency, working with client partners to grow their businesses.
He added: “I consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity to help guide the Saatchi legacy and build a thriving cross-agency connected platform (The Neighbourhood). Best of all, I get to meet fantastic, kind, generous and wise people across the industry every day. It’s a constant reminder there’s always more to learn, and you’ve never cracked it!”
Aldred’s promotion follows the appointments of Mandie van der Merwe and Avish Gordhan to chief creative officers earlier this year.
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Top image: Toby Aldred