Revolving door season continues at 72andSunny this week as the agency welcomes a new group brand director and says goodbye to another top member of its creative department.
Michael Canning became the latest GCD to leave 72 last month, returning to his native Australia to serve as ECD at M&C Saatchi in Sydney. On the business side, Marianne Pizzi–former managing director and head of account service at Untitled Worldwide–has become 72’s newest group brand director.
A spokesperson for 72andSunny tells us that Pizzi’s hire reflects continuing growth at the agency’s L.A. office, though it’s not yet clear which accounts she will oversee.
Canning spent six years with the Leo Burnett organization in both Sydney and New York, leaving for 72andSunny last year before LB closed its Manhattan office in February. He had been ECD and managing partner at that location and served as a member of the 72andSunny creative leadership team for a year and a half. (During that time, he also judged this year’s Cannes Titanium and Integrated Lions, praising work by CP+B, Droga5 and others.) In his new role, he will oversee all work produced by M&C Saatchi’s Sydney office.
Pizzi spent two and a half years at Untitled, which has clients beyond Machine Zone that cannot be made public because NDAs. Prior to joining the New York shop, she held executive group director, group account director and other account/planning positions at Ogilvy, Arnold New York, W+K New York, CP+B and BBDO West in addition to an in-house role with Nike.
Canning’s departure follows those of fellow group creative directors Michael Bryce (who left the shop for parts unknown last month after working on the Starbucks account), Grant Holland (who became chief creative officer at Omelet) and Martin Ringqvist (who returned to Forsman & Bodenfors in Sweden) as well as creative director Jan Livingston (who went to branded content company Rec Room).
Expect more 72andSunny hiring announcements to come.