Curious man quits to start rival

A co-founder of graphics group Curious has quit to set up a rival consultancy after criticising his partner for a view of the future, which goes “no further than his pension arrangements”.

From Monday, former Curious creative director Derek Martin will operate as managing director of Tomorrow, and says he has taken with him two major Curious accounts, British Bakeries and Penhaligon’s.

Martin was formerly a partner at graphics group Parker Stratton with Terry Stratton, which merged with Curious in 1996 and took on the Curious name.

Nine-strong Curious has formed alliances with groups in South Africa, Australia and Poland.

“I feel sorry for the international members of the group who have to continue working with [Stratton],” says Martin. “It was impossible for me to continue working with a partner whose view of the future is as limited as his appears to be.”

Stratton says he plans to build the international network.

Tomorrow will operate from the offices of London corporate communications company Alter Ego. The consultancy, which Martin describes as focusing on consumer design, corporate design and planning, will initially have four staff, all of whom Martin declines to name.

“We intend to be entirely pro-active with our clients by identifying trends and creating com- mercial opportunities for them,” says Martin.

Curious chairman Stratton says of the split: “Martin has long wanted to have his own business and I wish him every success.”

Stratton is looking for an account manager to take over Martin’s role and plans to “develop Curious into being much more creative-led and less production-led”.

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