Yes folks, the wagon-riding, hard-hat-wearing man to your left is Dyfed “Fred” Richards, who has just been appointed as worldwide creative director, consumer branding at WPP-owned The Brand Union. If you squint a bit, you’ll notice the wagon’s decorated with the name Interbrand, where Richards happened to spend the last eight years of his career and most recently served as its global ECD for CPG. During his time at said agency, the exec worked out of the Cincinnati area for the most part and led creative teams on P&G, Bayer, Wrigley and AT&T to name a few.
In his new role at Brand Union, which houses over 500 staffers in 21 offices around the world, Richards will work alongside U.K.-based counterpart Dave Brown to “drive the network’s consumer branding agenda.” If you’re not sure what that exactly means, maybe this statement from Brand Union worldwide CEO Simon Bolton can help clarify things:
“We have an ambitious vision for our consumer branding practice globally, and we are establishing an enviable reputation in this space. Relationships of impact and global profile, such as those we have nurtured with The Absolut Company, Reckitt Benckiser and GSK, will benefit from Fred’s input, as will new clients around the world. Very simply, Fred is a reference point and a recognised leader in the world of consumer brands globally. He’s a strategic and long-term hire for our business, and we look forward to welcoming him next month.”
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