Speculation that Chris Ward and Amanda Phillips were joining forces to launch a new agency has proved correct, with the duo opening An Abundance next week.
Former Proximity London chief executive Phillips and ex-Personal boss Ward are now hunting a creative director and planning director, who will be hired in the next three months as equity partners in the agency.
An Abundance is positioned as a “progressive behaviour change agency” and will specialise in CRM, digital and direct marketing. It aims to differentiate itself from other agencies through providing strategic planning that will involve psychologists and consumers in the process. It opens its doors on Monday with two clients, Barnardo’s and Royal Mail.
Ward will be responsible for new business while Phillips will head strategic planning. Initially relying on freelance teams of planners and creatives, the aim is to employ 40 full-time staff by the end of 2012.
Phillips quit agency life after she left Proximity in 2008 following its merger with Craik Jones. Ward left Partners Andrews Aldridge last summer, two years after Personal, the agency he previously ran, was folded into the business.
