XMPR founder heads for Italy

Martin Campbell Davies, one of XMPR’s founder members, is leaving to become design head at a major Italian retail chain.

He is the third senior member of XMPR to leave since October 1994, when project principal Alan Bishop decided to form his own consultancy and marketing director John Greensword left.

An XMPR spokeswoman says: “We’re sad to see Martin go and hope he’ll think of us for future work in Italy. We’re already looking for his replacement.” But Campbell Davies describes his departure as “a major loss to XMPR”, and confirms that there has been recent “disruption” at the consultancy. XMPR ranked 86 in Design Week’s 1994 Top 100 Consultancy Survey, with 10 designers out of a payroll of 15 staff. Current staff numbers are 15, 8 of whom are designers.

“It’s probably not such a bad thing that I’m leaving, there were too many chiefs and not enough indians. Business needed to be streamlined,” he says.

This is denied by XMPR managing director Rob Davie, who says: “There were great opportunities here for him. My regret is that I didn’t communicate with him clearly enough.”

Campbell Davies joins the 200-strong retail chain Oviesse as head of design. He will implement a new interiors identity throughout Italy. Oviesse is a subsidiary of high-profile retail empire Coin.