New boss for ad company
Focus on dynamic ‘collaborative synergy’
CREATING great synergy between the socalled suits and the creatives is just one of the challenges Boomtown’s new managing director, Andrew MacKenzie, is tackling, especially since taking over the hot seat last week.
Winds of change have been sweeping through the award-winning advertising firm’s Bridge Street offices for the past year, with MacKenzie taking over the reins after a year of careful restructuring.
MacKenzie, 41, was appointed managing director two weeks ago and officially took up the post last week.
His vision going forward is centred around creativity and possibility.
“Creativity, obviously, because advertising is a very creative industry, and possibility because we want to be the best that we can be,” MacKenzie said.
“It is not just about our individuals within the company, but our clients as well.”
Boomtown has been undergoing a reinvention process in a bid to remain relevant in the face of an everchanging and technologydriven advertising climate.
This includes new leadership configurations and a collaborative way of working between the creative team and the client services.
“One of the challenges we had was the whole creativesversus-the-suits and we needed to find a way to create a synergy between the two,” MacKenzie said.
“So we have created a team in which the creatives work collaboratively with client services and we are already seeing great synergy.
“Both teams are working really well together.”
MacKenzie, who has been with the company for 15 years and has been driving the creative integrity and thinking in the business for the past 10 years, is not taking his new role lightly.
“It feels different. I’m excited about the future of the business and that of the people benefiting from it.”
Other changes include Glen Meier taking up the role of director over Johannesburg business under MacKenzie’s leadership.
Business development director Jane Stevenson is leaving to take up a senior position elsewhere.
Boomtown chairman and founder Neil Hart said that when the company entered its 21st year this year, it was with a clear vision to enable the greatest creative environment for possibility to be realised.
“For us to achieve this, we will be focusing on raising world-class multi-disciplinary thinkers who create innovative solutions that deliver radical growth.
“This would include growth of our entire value chain – our team, clients, suppliers and community in general.
“This may be a bold statement, howeve, I make it with confidence as Andrew steps into this leadership role, and together with the support of a strong team, I have no doubt that we will achieve great results for our clients.”
The agency has several awards under its belt, including a bronze Loerie, silver Clio, silver Clio Healthcare, gold Epica, gold Assegai and a 2014 inaugural Lions Health Award in Cannes.
MacKenzie is due to serve on the panel of judges at the Lions Health Awards next month.