Downes quit Carter Wong over ‘structure’

Carter Wong director Nick Downes is understood to be setting up his own consultancy after leaving the group following a difference of opinion over future strategy.

Downes, who had been with Carter Wong for 12 years, took a handful of staff with him and some clients according to director Phil Carter, who says the parting was “very amicable”.

Downes was unavailable for comment.

“It was nothing untoward. Just a difference of opinion in the management structure… He was doing areas we felt we didn’t want to get into, like sponsorship. We’re about quality of design and creativity and there are some areas which aren’t that rewarding.”

Downes joined Carter Wong as an artworker and became the group’s third director after co-founders Carter and Phil Wong.

“It’s unsettling but that was then and this is now,” says Carter. “We’ve come out of it and the atmosphere is brilliant. It was an unfortunate thing to happen.”

Established in 1984, Carter Wong was positioned number 59 in the Design Week Top 100 group in March, when it had 30 staff.

It now has 16 staff but is currently looking to recruit account management employees.