Staff exits force DIA reshuffle

The departure of two senior staff and the pregnancy of a third is forcing DIA to revise the creative management structure at its offices in London and Singapore.

DIA is shortly to lose its two most senior creative staff. Brands division creative director Nick Ovenden will join Landor Associates at the end of April. Corporate communications creative director Elaine Barbrook takes up her maternity leave shortly after. Ovenden has been at DIA for 12 years. Barbrook plans to return to DIA after her leave.

A DIA spokesman says both positions will be filled by Colin Goodhew, creative director at DIA’s 15-strong Singapore office. “In the longer term we plan to replace Nick Ovenden with an external candidate,” says the spokesman.

Goodhew has experience of DIA’s 50-strong UK office. He has worked in the UK office as a senior designer, leaving two years ago to set up the Singapore office.

His position in Singapore will be filled by the office’s design director Katie Warner. Warner joined the office at the beginning of the year from Cato Consulting’s UK branch. Goodhew will return to Singapore when a replacement for Ovenden is found.

DIA head of the corporate communications division Lynn Hall is also leaving DIA. She joined 18 months ago and has resigned with no job to go to. She was unavailable to comment. Her position will be filled internally by senior account director Gillian Brett, taking effect immediately.

DIA has also appointed two new account managers.