Strategic changes at Lowe Bull

7 Mar 2007

Wayne Naidoo, formerly the new business director, has been appointed as MD of the Lowe Bull Group with a core focus on new business development, while Kirk Gainsford will be taking over from executive creative director Porky Hefer. In addition, Lowe Bull has backed a start-up, below-the-line company, Mick & Nick, and bought a minority stake in brand design company Rex.

Naidoo, whose role will include identifying possible strategic business partners and potential new clients that will take the company forward, has been with the group for 10 years. Having started off in account management, he grew into the position of client service director and then new business director.

“Wayne has been a part of our company since the first year we were in business and has been hugely instrumental, over the years, in developing the culture and the relationships we have with our clients,” says Matthew Bull, chairman and CEO of the Lowe Bull Group.

“His growth has been phenomenal and it’s only natural that he takes on a role which will enable him to build our company brand even more.”

New initiative

Hefer will within the next couple of months be launching a new initiative within the industry.

Comments Bull, “Porky has been the driving force behind the creative renaissance of our Cape Town agency. His new venture offers him the opportunity to further utilise his exceptional creative talents in a unique and hopefully compelling way. He has the full support of this company and we will, in fact, be his first client together with Lowe Worldwide. He hands over to a man he has hand-picked, who has been responsible for some of our very best work lately.”

The backing of Mick & Nick is in keeping with the strategy to increase the service offering to clients. The company, which specialises in retail solutions, is headed up by Mick Shepard and Nick Liatos, who previously ran the retail division at JWT.

Part of jigsaw

“We’re in the business of providing our clients with high value ideas for their brands, and we need to ensure we have the talent and resource to ensure those ideas can cover the length and breadth of every discipline and target market. Mick & Nick are part of that jigsaw,” explains Bull.

The minority stake in brand design company Rex is also part of the puzzle.

“Rex plays in an area that I watched grow phenomenally in the UK over the past couple of years. Clients’ awareness of the brand growth abilities of design and packaging has grown exponentially, and Rex’s ability on digital will stand us in good stead as broadband explores the Internet phenomenon in this country - just as it has in the UK,” concludes Bull.