Exodus of departures continues at Ogilvy UK with Mick Mahone the latest to leave

Mass resignations at Ogilvy continue

Ogilvy UK’s chief creative officer Mick Mahone is the latest in a series of resignations of senior departures at Ogilvy UK.

Mahoney resignation follows fellow CCO Emma De La Fosse (who’s gone to rejoin former boss Annette King at Publicis), ad agency CEO Charlie Rudd and chief production officer Clare Donald who’s gone to MDC.

The head of Ogilvy One also left. All this while winning British Airways, Boots and Vodafone.

The resignations follow a restructuring by new group CEO Michael Frohlich, from the company’s PR side. This follows a restructuring in the US by global head John Seifert. Former Ogilvy UK group chairman Paul Simons describes Ogilvy’s need for a new worldwide identity.

Another senior head has quit Ogilvy without explanation from him or his boss Michael Frohlich. In fact no one knows if they quit or were they asked to leave.

Ogilvy hasn’t really had a great leader since David Ogilvy himself that too in New York, in the UK, Ogilvy hasn’t had a really visionary leader with the exception of Michael Baulk.

Mike Walsh helmed Europe for a few years but he played it safe without any notable changes or big client coups.

Michael Frohlich, chief executive of Ogilvy UK, said he did not expect any more departures and that the sole remaining chief creative officer, Charlie Wilson, remains in place.

Frohlich said that a new creative leadership structure would be revealed shortly. Among the names believed to be in the frame for the top job are Dede Laurentino, currently a global executive creative director.

Frohlich said: “We’d like to thank Mick for his contributions and wish him well in his next chapter. Since taking over as chief executive, I have been working with the leadership team to transform how we creatively deliver for our clients and we will be announcing our new creative vision and structure in the coming weeks.”

Mahoney joined Ogilvy & Mather in 2016 to replace Gerry Human as chief creative officer. He previously led the creative department at Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R (now Y&R London) as executive creative director.