Brett Channer has stepped down as chairman and executive creative director with Saatchi & Saatchi Canada to pursue new ventures within the Publicis-owned agency network.
Helen Pak and Brian Sheppard, the creative director team behind the agency’s recent online film The Last Advertising Agency on Earth, have been promoted to co-ECD positions. Both will report to agency president and CEO Stuart Payne, who in turn assumes Channer’s day-to-day management duties.
“I’ve left the Toronto office and am working with the network, pursuing the next thing I’m going to do,” said Channer, who has led the agency for eight years. “I like to keep myself in precarious situations that are constantly challenging me. I found I was starting to get a little too comfortable in the role I had.”
Channer met last week with Mary Baglivo, CEO of Saatchi New York and chairwoman of Saatchi Americas, and told her about prospective changes he’d been considering “for about a year.” The pair, along with Robert Senior, CEO of Saatchi U.K. and chair of the agency’s world wide creative board of which Channer is a part, are now discussing a new role for Channer.
“Maybe it’s in new media, maybe it’s a wider scope than is currently available in Canada. Those are the kind of things I’ve asked for and I think they agree it’s a good next step.”
Channer said he was unsure if his next role would be in Canada.
The new Toronto creative leadership team have been with the agency for three years, overseeing work for Toyota‘s “Make Things Better” campaign. According to a press release, they were also instrumental in winning strategic assignments from Procter & Gamble.
Payne said promoting from within was the only option he considered when replacing Channer.
“We’ve been working strongly with [Pak and Sheppard] the last few years and they’re great,” Payne said. “They’re well-loved within the agency and have great client relationships. There was no thought to look outside.”
When asked how the new creative leaders might change Saatchi’s creative image, Payne said clients have been asking for more digital work and that the co-ECDs were ideal to meet that growing need.
Payne does not expect to do any additional hiring to fill Pak and Sheppard’s vacated roles in the near future.
