Gareth Collins named as new CEO of mcgarrybowen UK

Dentsu Aegis Network has appointed Gareth Collins as chief executive for the UK arm of its global creative agency, mcgarrybowen.

Collins will work alongside the existing leadership team including Managing Director, Charlie Hurrell and Executive Creative Director, Angus Macadam. He will lead the agency with a focus on driving growth and building on award-winning work for the agency’s portfolio of clients which includes American Express, Mothercare and United Airlines among others. He will report directly to Euan Jarvie, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network UK & Ireland. 

Collins boasts nearly 20 years’ experience working at several of the most respected creative agencies in the marketing industry. He joins mcgarrybowen from Leo Burnett and Fallon, where he was UK CEO across both Publicis Groupe agencies overseeing a strong new business performance and driving integration between the two agencies. 

Prior to joining the Publicis Groupe, Gareth spent more than a decade at BBDO including AMV BBDO and its sister agency Clemenger BBDO in Australia. During this time he worked with a host of major advertisers such as BT, the National Lottery, Guinness, Sainsbury’s, Vodafone, Tourism Australia and Virgin Australia. He began his career at Ogilvy & Mather. 

Euan Jarvie, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network UK & Ireland said: “Gareth is a dynamic and progressive leader who is passionate about the power creativity can have to transform clients’ businesses. Combining this with an innate understanding of how to develop a united culture makes Gareth the perfect fit to lead mcgarrybowen through its next stage of growth. We’re delighted to have him on board and really excited about the future of mcgarrybowen here in the UK.”

Gareth Collins, Chief Executive Officer, mcgarrybowen UK said: “I am so excited to be joining mcgarrybowen. It is a fantastic agency, with a great culture, brilliant people and clients, and an impressive global reputation of producing genuinely defining campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands. I’ve been struck by the commitment to creativity from both within the agency itself and the wider Dentsu Aegis Network and can’t wait to get started.

Gordon Bowen, Global Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network and Founder and Global Chairman, mcgarrybowen said: “When your name is on the door it’s critically important to me that our leaders exemplify our values personally and professionally. Gareth by nature puts his clients and the people who serve them first. I feel privileged to have him join our family and look forward to working with him personally in this dynamic and important market.” 

Collins takes up the position from late April. 

‑ ENDS ‑

For further information contact:

Mandy Rayment

Head of Corporate Communications, UK 

T: +44 7824 690176

E: mandy.rayment@dentsuaegis.com

Josh Colley

Corporate Communications Manager

T: +44 207 570 7334

E: josh.colley@dentsuaegis.com

Notes to Editors:

About Dentsu Aegis Network

Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of ten global network brands - Carat, Dentsu, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. Dentsu Aegis Network is Innovating the Way Brands Are Built for its clients through its best-in-class expertise and capabilities in media, digital and creative communications services. Offering a distinctive and innovative range of products and services, Dentsu Aegis Network is headquartered in London and operates in 145 countries worldwide with more than 47,000 dedicated specialists. www.dentsuaegisnetwork.com

About Mcgarrybowen

mcgarrybowen, founded in 2002, has grown to become one of the most successful agency start-ups ever. The agency is now a global, full-service, integrated marketing communications agency network with 12 offices around the globe. It has won many awards including “Agency of the Year” honors three times with Ad Age, was Ad Age’s “2017 Comeback Agency of the Year,” and an “2018 Agency to Watch.” The Ad Federation named mcgarrybowen its 2018 Agency of the Year.” 

Famous for Big Organising Ideas and results-driven creative campaigns, mcgarrybowen counts some of the world’s most iconic companies as its clients, including American Express, Intel, Disney, United Airlines, Subway, The Clorox Company, The Kraft Heinz Company, Mondelēz International, Marriott, Chevron, Northrop Grumman, Hallmark, and Crayola.