Clancy confirmed as new Cheethambell MD
Jane Clancy, a former partner in Manchester-based BJL, has been confirmed as the new managing director of CheethamBell JWT.
The news follows speculation last month that she was poised to take on the CBJWT post. The appointment has now been confirmed by Clancy and the agency.
At the time of the speculation, existing CBJWT managing director, Paul Watson was said to have been on annual leave. However, it has since emerged that Clancy has been brought in as a direct replacement for Watson.
In 2004, Clancy was part of the management buy-out team, alongside Jackie Holt, Nicky Unsworth, Iain Kerr and Trevor Lorains, that acquired the majority of the BJL shares from its original founders. Last month, Lorains revealed that Clancy’s departure was amicable: \"As far as I am concerned, it’s a private situation with Jane. I have no idea where she’s going, but I’ve heard the rumours the same as everyone else. We wish jane all the best, and I’m sure she wishes us all the best.\"
In the time between Clancy leaving BJL and taking up her new post, her former agency was appointed to handle Bradford & Bingley’s £3.5 million mortgages account. The business had previously been split between BJL and CBJWT.
After the loss of the Reckitt Benckiser account in June – rumoured to be worth £10 million worth of billings to CBJWT – the agency is believed to have been forced to make a number of redundancies across the business. It is not yet clear how Clancy plans to take the business further.
A key industry figure remarked: \"This development is unprecedented. Never before has a leading Manchester agency poached its MD from a key rival.
\"Jane must have agonised over this decision. The offer from CheethamBell JWT must have been very good indeed.\"