Chemistry trio exit in top-level cull

Three of Publicis Chemistry’s senior team – creative chiefs Mark Buckingham and Rob Trono and managing partner Andrew Brooks – have left after a restructure.
The overhaul, which is thought to have led to at least another dozen people losing their jobs, has been triggered by EE’s decision to rein in spending.
Buckingham (pictured, far left) is one of the most experienced creative directors in the business, with over 70 creative awards to his name – including D&ADs, Cannes Lions, Eurobest, Campaign, DMA, EDMA, and Echos – as well as two agency start-ups under his belt.
He has been at Publicis Chemistry for seven years, joining from Craik Jones – where he had been for 8 years – in 2008.
In the late Eighties, he co-founded Knights Buckingham Hackett, with Roger Knights and Paul Hackett but it closed after three years. Hackett went on to work at Tequila and Seren Partners and was reunited with Buckingham at Chemistry 9 months ago. Knights’ whereabouts are unknown.
After KBH closed, Buckingham joined Rapp Collins (now Rapp), as head of art, and, in 1995, he set up Clark McKay Buckingham, but quit after just over 18 months. He was replaced by Steve Walpole and the agency was rebranded CMW. Buckingham then joined Joshua before switching to Craik Jones in 1999.
Trono (middle), a digital creative specialist, started his career at Traffic in 1998, working alongside Warren Moore. He first joined Publicis in 2000, then switched to Chemistry in 2007, before rejoining Publicis when it bought Chemistry in 2011. Most recently he has been executive creative director David Prideaux’s number 2.
Brooks (far right) only joined the agency in January this year to head up the EE account; he was previously global group director on Reckitt Benckiser at Havas.
At the time of his appointment, chief executive Mike Welsh said: “I’m delighted to have these incredibly experienced and talented individuals who will bring energy, commitment, and, no doubt, growth and success to the agency.”
Now a Publicis Chemistry statement reads: “As part of a recent restructure, Rob Trono, Andrew Brooks and Mark Buckingham have decided to leave the agency.”

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