The co-founders of DM shop Ruby are poised to seize control of The Red Brick Road – the one-time toast of adland set up by Frank Lowe – with bosses Paul Hammersley and David Hackworthy likely to be bought out.
The move follows a reversal of fortunes for the agency, set up ostensibly to handle the £110m Tesco ad account, for which it decided not to repitch earlier this year.
Ruby was founded in November 2007 by CHI creative team Richard ‘Dickie’ Megson and Matt Davis (pictured), along with Proximity board director David Miller. However, it was folded into the main agency in the summer, with Miller becoming managing director.
Staff at the agency were told this week that managing partner Hammersley, and strategy partner Hackworthy have handed over control Miller.
Miller will continue to run the agency on a day-to-day basis, but will be joined by Davis, Megson and Ben Mitchell.
According to reports, Hammersley, Hackworthy and other shareholders are likely to be bought out of the agency, whose clients include Magners and Suzuki, within six weeks.
At the time Ruby launched, Hammersley said: “We wanted to develop an offer which had the flexibility to meet the varying needs of both existing and future clients.
“The reality is some clients want an integrated offer, others need a specialist, but connected, offer and some want specialist, independent agency relationships. The combination of Ruby and The Red Brick Road will be able to meet all these requirements.”
