Kieren House in at Siebert Head

Siebert Head has appointed Keren House as creative director “to set the creative standards for the business in the future”, according to managing director John Parsons. House, currently a creative director at Design Bridge, was headhunted for the job and joins the London consultancy next month.

Her new role will give her “total responsibility for the creative process”, says Parsons. Eventually, she will join the Siebert Head board, but, says Parsons, at her own suggestion that won’t be for a few months.

Design Bridge has no plans to replace House, who is one of six creative directors there. Design Bridge managing director David Rivett says it is sad to see her go after eight years, but is pleased about the “solus” position she has been offered at Siebert Head.

House will head a studio of 19 staff at Siebert Head, including 12 designers. Tim Moore and Sean Fortune remain heads of graphics and structural design respectively, working to her. Three freelance positions are expected to be made into full-time jobs once she has settled in.

House says the move is “a real challenge, and I like challenges. It plays to the side of me that enjoys teaching and bringing people on.” She describes Siebert Head as “a smaller version of Design Bridge” in that it combines branding and structural packaging design.

Her appointment follows a restructure at Siebert Head to rejuvenate its image and boost its creativity (DW 5 December 1997).

As part of the changes, creative director Tony Watts steps down from the board after 25 years with the group. Watts remains hands-off, says Parsons, but will “continue to be involved as needed”. He is helping to develop the consultancy’s new Polish operation in Warsaw, set up last month.

Other appointments at Siebert Head are Mark Leahy as senior account director, new-business development executive Luksman Kumaradevan, designer Bob Pattni and Andy David on the production.