M&C Saatchi launches digital innovation consultancy

M&C Saatchi is launching a digital business innovation consultancy as part of its drive to invest in data, digital and technology, designed to help clients to diversify revenues and create new digital products, services and ventures.

The new division, Thread, is headed by two executives, Michaeljon Alexander-Scott and Lilian Tse, who have worked together for five years at Accenture Interactive’s design studio, Fjord.

While there, Alexander-Scott led the insight and strategy practice and prior to this he was a founding employee and head of strategy of M&C Saatchi’s global and social issues agency. He has also worked as a strategist at the BBC, Isobar, The&Partnership and MGOMD.

Meanwhile, Tse was a design director, responsible for launching digital products for the likes of GSK, Pepsi and Vodafone and pioneering new ways of helping clients tackle existential problems.

Previously she worked for Frog Design, founding the London studio, following a career at Gartner and McKinsey.

The consultancy will start as a team of three but is expected to have about eight employees by the year end and will draw on a global network of around 60 consultants on a project basis.

M&C Saatchi chief executive Moray MacLennan comments: “Clients increasingly recognise the importance of developing new digital products and services to diversify their revenue streams. Thread, and the experience that MJ and Lilian bring, enables us to expand into this growing territory and continue to accelerate our investment in differentiating digital capabilities.”