Gormley exits to set up own group

Ziggurat co-founder Bernard Gormley has left the consultancy and is setting up a branding group, Badge Consultants, to enable him to develop clients overseas.

His decision to leave follows an unsettled 18 months for Gormley. He relinquished his role as chairman in 2001 and brought in Allison Miguel as consultant to restore Ziggurat’s reputation for creativity. She took over from him as executive creative director last January, leaving Gormley to focus on promoting Ziggurat abroad.

Gormley says he left Ziggurat because the structure of the group no longer suited him.

The embryonic Badge, which currently comprises just Gormley, will work with international clients in the US and in Europe, he says. According to Gormley, he is in discussions with Ziggurat about taking clients with him, but has already taken one, Sweden-based Electrolux.

‘I want to develop opportunities in the US and in Europe,’ Gormley says. The majority of Badge’s ‘discerning’ clients will be based overseas, he adds.

Ziggurat director Adrian Day says the group is not looking to replace him at the moment.