Bonadio review sees Identica staff losses

A root and branch review at Identica by chief executive Franco Bonadio has resulted in a major reshuffle that has seen, and will see, the departure of a number of senior-level employees.

Creative director Chris Riley, who has been with the consultancy for ten years, leaves later this week, while communications director Brendan Martin, who has held his post for the same length of time, left the group last week to ‘pursue his own interests’.

Their departures are compounded by the resignations of two senior designers – Daniel Calderwood, who goes to SAS Design, and John Hughes, who is to go to Elmwood.

Bonadio, who took over from founder Michael Peters last November, explains that he will assume creative director responsibilities from Riley, while marketing director Johnny Gibson will absorb Martin’s communications duties. The other vacancies will be ‘naturally filled’, says Bonadio.

Bonadio says that Riley’s and Martin’s departures were a natural evolution for ‘both them and the consultancy’ and insists they have left on good terms. ‘I want to thank them for their commitment to Identica and for all their hard work,’ he adds.

The former global creative director of The Body Shop does not rule out that his management style, which he admits is ‘different to that of Peters’, could have prompted the moves.

Bonadio has been reviewing Identica’s business functions since joining three months ago. ‘I’ve had time to get a feel for our clients and how the business is going,’ he says. ‘We have a good track record with some long-standing clients, and have a couple of retainers, but the focus going forward will be on improving client services, creativity, value for money and flexibility.’

The chief executive also reveals that he plans to move Identica from its home in London’s Notting Hill. Former chairman Peters, who founded the group in 1992, sold the company to Canadian group Cossette in 2003. Identica’s current client roster includes Nike.

Riley replaced Dana Robertson as creative director in 2007. Bonadio heads up Identica with general manager Jean-Luc Viard Gaudin.

IDENTICA CLIENTS

• Ongoing work with Nike
• Ongoing campaign for UK lawyer Nabarro
• UK on-line bank Icesave
• Packaging for Russia’s topselling beer, Baltika