Campbell: starts at R/GA next week. R/GA has appointed Rob Campbell as executive strategy director for EMEA. He will be based in London starts next week. He replaces Simon Wassef, who is returning to Australia after three years at the full-service digital shop.
Campbell has been tasked with growing and evolving R/GA’s strategy department across the region, as well as ensuring the strategy team provides “bottom-up” cultural insights into the creative process and ensuring relevance in client work.
The Interpublic agency is entering a new era without its creative chief and London office founder James Temple, who has moved client side by joining tech start-up Magic Leap. Temple’s exit followed the departure of group creative director Jon Andrews in July.
Described by R/GA as a “key hire”, Campbell will report to Matt Lodder, executive vice-president and managing director at R/GA EMEA. The EMEA strategy team will report to Campbell.
Campbell previously worked at IPG stablemate Deutsch in Los Angeles as head of planning, having joined in May 2017 from Wieden & Kennedy Shanghai. His departure from Deutsch just over a year later was reported by Adweek in July, with sources saying Campbell wanted to be closer to his family in the UK.
His agency experience spans 30 years in roles across the UK, Asia and Australia.
Campbell told Campaign: “I love the idea of being part of a company where I can help build something that outlives me. R/GA gives me that opportunity like no other.
“I am also super-excited to continue to build one of the most interesting strategy departments in the region. ‘Interesting’ is a pretty ambiguous word but, for me, it’s about how we go about solving problems and the creativity that comes out of it. I can’t wait to get started.”
