DDB Sydney appoints Tara Ford as ECD
DDB Sydney has appointed Tara Ford as executive creative director (ECD) as it bolsters its creative department off the back of new business wins.
DDB Sydney has appointed Tara Ford as ECD to work alongside CCO Ben Welsh
Ford joins the agency from TBWA Melbourne, where she worked on campaigns for Nike, ANZ, PlayStation, Medibank and Nissan, including the hugely popular GayTM campaign for ANZ Bank.
A highly awarded creative, Ford has won a total of 16 Cannes Lions, including a Grand Prix and 11 shortlists across five different campaigns. She has also judged and chaired international awards shows including Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, AWARD, Adfest Creative Circle and the Roses Awards.
Ford will work alongside DDB Sydney chief creative officer Ben Welsh, who joined the agency last year after 18 years with M&C Saatchi, most recently as creative chairman of Asia.
The appointment establishes Ford as one of the most senior creatives in Australia and also positions her as one of very small number of women ECDs.
Ben Welsh, CCO at DDB, said, “I’ve always wanted to hire Tara and I’m really looking forward to her adding firepower to our already very talented team. Tara is a fantastic fit for DDB’s culture. Our focus is on creating a talented and diverse culture, because we know that’s what leads to brilliant creative,” Welsh said.
Ford said, "It has been a wonderful five and a half years at TBWA but I’m ready for a new challenge. I feel incredibly excited and energised to be joining DDB Sydney. It’s a phenomenal agency with both amazing clients and talented people, I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
The appointment comes off the back of DDB Sydney’s recent appointment to the Virgin Australia account as well as the consolidation of the McDonald’s creative advertising business, which it previously shared with Leo Burnett.