Bell takes VCCP me creative role

CMW creative director Jamie Bell has been hired as the new creative partner at VCCP me, four months after Neil Francis quit following the rebrand from Stephens Francis Whitson.
Since Francis’ exit, the agency has been using a number of high-profile creative directors on a freelance basis, including former Craik Jones duo Simon Kershaw and Phil Keevil.
Bell started his career in 1998 as an art director at Grey, having graduated from Buckinghamshire College – a recognised academy for the creative industry.
In 2004, he joined Harrison Troughton Wunderman as head of art and deputy creative director. It was here that, in Bell’s own words, he “was able to learn the art of integration under the watchful eye of direct response Master Po [the character from Seventies’ classic TV show Kung Foo] Steve Harrison”.
By December 2008, he had joined CMW as creative director, working on pitch wins which included Citroen, COI, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Wispa, Trebor, McCain, Jordans Ryvita and Kelloggs.
Stephens said: “Jamie is a class act. His work’s terrific, his experience is broad and his energy and enthusiasm are infectious. I know Jamie will play a really important role in the development of VCCP me.”
Bell said: “It’s very rare that an opportunity like VCCP me comes along. It’s clear that the vision for VCCP me is to become the best direct agency around. So you can probably understand why I’m quite keen to get stuck in.”