Addison loses three partners

Addison is to lose three of its four creative partners, following the resignations of Jonathan Ellery, Graham Taylor and Mike Turner. Peter Chodel is the only creative partner at board level who remains.

Addison managing partner Simon Lake accredits the resignations to natural fall-out after Addison was bought by WPP Group this summer and later merged with Sampson Tyrrell Corporate Marketing (DW 24 October 97). The earn-out period for partners staying with the merged consultancy is five years.

At least two of the three will be replaced, says Lake: “We are looking for designers of a senior level.”

Ellery, creative director of STCM for the past year, had worked at Addison in the past. “I am leaving in response to the merger,” he says. “I’m not sure mergers of that size are pro creativity. From a business point of view it was a good decision, but it’s not my cup of tea.” He leaves at the end of February and declines to comment on future plans.

Taylor, who has been with Addison for nearly eight years, leaves in mid-March. “I recognised that I wasn’t ready to do another five years [being tied into the five-year contract as a partner],” he says. Taylor also declines to comment on his next step.

Turner, who was with Addison for seven years, is on holiday and was unavailable for comment.

“The search [for replacements] might take some time,” says Lake. “We might look for people with wider graphic experience.” The consultancy needs to get more involved in multimedia and the Web, he says.

Lake may also look for recruits with a European language, to help the consultancy build up its Continental client list.

Two new junior designers Tammy Kustow and Matthew Shannon started at the consultancy this week.