Trevail poached by FutureBrand

The FutureBrand Company has recruited Enterprise IG managing director Charles Trevail to head up business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as the company looks for new opportunities in Asia.

Trevail’s new role is “growing the total European practice”, says FutureBrand chief executive officer John Elkins. Acquisitions are planned, particularly in northern Europe, “on the consulting and identity side”, he adds.

There will be a focus on the German market, where “there’s a tremendous amount of activity” resulting from banking and telecoms deregulation, he says.

Trevail will have “some involvement in developing Asia”, says Elkins, who expects any further senior appointments to relate to that region.

Trevail will also lead the integration of services between FutureBrand, the global identity group created in April to replace the Diefenbach Elkins network, and its Interpublic stablemate The Coleman Group Worldwide, which specialises in packaging and branding.

Trevail looks forward to “building a global network that will put creativity at its centre”. He will be based in London, with FutureBrand Davies Baron directors David Davies and Stuart Baron, and report to Elkins in New York. “He will pick up some of David and Stuart’s responsibilities,” says Elkins, freeing them to focus on design.

Trevail has been managing director of WPP-owned Enterprise IG for three years, having joined the then Sampson Tyrrell 11 years ago. According to Dave Allen, Enterprise IG chief executive, Europe, the consultancy is not in a hurry to replace him.

“A natural leader for the London office will emerge within the next six months. We probably won’t look outside [the existing team], but we might,” he says.

Allen says Trevail’s departure is totally amicable. “There is no animosity between us,” he says. “He simply wanted a change.”

WPP Group’s 1998 annual report, designed by WPP subsidiary Addison, reiterates its expectation that its branding, design and identity companies will grow by 20 per cent, year on year, over the next two years.

WPP Europe chief executive officer Sam Sampson sees packaging design as the next area for global expansion.

Like FutureBrand, WPP is looking to South East Asia for opportunities. Sampson says, “There are not many genuine Asian brands and now that the Chinese and Singapore governments have decreed that they must have ten to 20 global brands in the next ten years, there are many opportunities.”