Global growth for Third Eye

The Glasgow consultancy is currently in talks to open offices in San Francisco, Miami and Shanghai, and has made two appointments ahead of the planned expansion.

Hoss Gifford, a former freelance, joins as digital creative director, spearheading the digital development of the group, while Joe Burrin, former art director at Spin, joins the London studio, with a view to becoming creative director at the west coast office when it launches.

‘At the moment, my role is to bolster the existing teams, but I expect to be heading up the west coast US office as creative director, most likely to be based in San Francisco, when that opens,’ says Burrin.

Gifford, who joined last month, heads up a team of five but works across all three studios in Glasgow, London and New York. He plans to recruit two more digital staff by the autumn.

According to both Burrin and Gifford, a major project for an undisclosed architect/property development client in Chicago is drawing the group to the US.

The pair is expected to work closely on various elements of the exhibition aspect of the project, with Gifford overseeing the interactive and digital elements.

Prior to working with Third Eye, Gifford was a freelance specialist in the development of Flash applications, working with groups such as Underwired.

Last year, Third Eye opened its New York studio, led by managing director Toby Southgate in March, with the London office, headed up by creative director James Groves, launching in October.

It employs 20 staff across the three studios, with a projected turnover in excess of £3m. Mark Noë is group managing director.