Wunderman executive creative director Dave Harris has thrown in the towel at the agency, just weeks after boss Mel Cruickshank appointed a new creative head over him.
Harris has been at the agency six years, succeeding Steve Harrison as ECD. It is understood he has left with immediate effect and will not be replaced.
It is one of the worst kept secrets in agencyland that Cruickshank – installed as chief executive last year – and Harris did not exactly see eye to eye, having first locked horns while at Lida.
And when Wunderman created the post of chief creative officer, handing it to Aussie ECD Matt Batten, the writing was on the wall.
Harris, who had ruled the creative department since joining in September 2007, was suddenly forced to report into the new man. Speculation of his impending departure has been rife ever since.
Harris took on the role of ECD at sales promotion agency IMP in June 1995, staying over four years before he co-founded Lida with Lisa Thomas in August 1999.
Thomas remained at Lida for a while, before being promoted to chief executive of the agency’s parent M&C Saatchi in 2010. She remains chairman of Lida.
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