The MD of TBWA\Group\Durban, Richard Cassels, died last week after being attacked in his Westville home by robbers. He will be sadly missed by both his colleagues in the agency and the broader advertising community.
The attack took place on Wednesday night, 15 April 2009.
Cassels joined the TBWA\Group in Durban in 1996 as an account director. Three years later he was appointed to the position of MD for one of the local divisions, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris\Durban, and subsequently joined the board.
James Porter, executive chairman of TBWA\Group\Durban, comments: “Richard's passion was the advertising industry and its people; he literally knew everyone. Our loss is the industry's loss.”
Cassels always had his ear to the ground, making sure he was involved so that he could provide his team with encouragement and motivation, both personal and professional. He was very approachable and went out of his way to help people, always on the lookout for ways in which he could provide support for others. A number of TBWA\Durban staff have jobs at the agency because of his passion for uplifting those in need.
In his commitment to being environmentally friendly, Cassels headed up TBWA\Group\Durban's green efforts with Praveen Inderpersadh, MD of Tequila, TBWA\Group\Durban's non-traditional Agency.
Cassels will be sorely missed by his team, and everyone for whom he tried to make a difference.
Update Tuesday 21 April 2009: Two suspects are to appear in Pinetown court today, Tuesday 21 April, and more arrests are expected, reports East Coast Radio. Cassels is to be laid to rest today, the station also reports.
