Australia – Multinational communications and advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi has appointed creative duo Mandie van der Merwe and Avish Gordhan as new chief creative officers in Australia.
The creative duo is expected to bring their expansive portfolio of experience and awards as they take the lead in the agency’s creative offering.
Gordhan and van der Merwe have made a name for themselves by establishing environments where creativity doesn’t merely tap into culture but sparks it.
The duo have also been creative partners for 20 years and have polished their craft across three continents. Their works have been recognised over 300 times at the biggest award shows in the industry, including D&AD, Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clios, and Spikes.
Dave Bowman, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe ANZ, said, “I am beyond excited to be able to bring Mandie and Avish onboard to lead Saatchi & Saatchi’s creative offering. With their unique people skills, strategic prowess, and creative firepower, I can’t wait to see what these two amazingly talented new-world creatives make possible at the intersection of storytelling, data, technology, and media.”
Commenting on the appointment, Patrick Rowe, CEO at Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, said, “Dave and I wanted to double down on creativity at Saatchi & Saatchi, so approaching Mandie and Avish just made sense. Why get one Chief Creative Officer when you can get two with an awards list as long as your arm? More importantly, they understand the role creative thinking plays in a new integrated world and will be a driving force for change. We couldn’t be more excited that they’re joining our team.”
Speaking on her new role, Mandie van der Merwe said, “When Saatchi & Saatchi come knocking, you answer. And when the person knocking is Dave Bowman, you take out the fancy biscuits. Between Pat and the team, there is an infectious passion for creativity that is hard to ignore.”
Avish Gordhan, in his new role, also shared, “This is an agency brand with a storied history and incredible work, locally and globally. The opportunity to be part of that is both humbling and exciting. We love bringing ideas and storytelling together in new ways with media, tech, and data. And it makes me itchy with anticipation thinking about how we can do that with this team.
