Boss back as head of 'family'

By SIMON HENDERY

Andrew Stone is dressed for a game of tennis with new boss Kevin Roberts, and is caught off guard by the arrival of a Herald photographer.

The just-confirmed head of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand doesn't think it's a good look to be snapped dressed so casually ("although I normally do wear T-shirts"), so he hastily arranges for some business clothes to be sent to the office.

Stone's return to Saatchi, to fill the vacancy created by Ian Christie's move to London, was widely expected when he left Generator Bates in November.

The delay in confirming his new role was due to the Christmas break and the need to resolve contractual matters with his old firm.

He says the split had been amicable and, in the end, Generator chose not to enforce a restraint-of-trade clause that could have delayed his return to the industry.

Stone's return to Saatchi after eight years away comes as the agency's star is shining less brightly than it once did.

But he denies the agency is suffering any major issues and says it still has one of the best talent pools in Australasia, represents leading clients, and continues to pull in the awards to prove it. "There is a lot more positive about it than a lot of people might give them credit for.

"From the conversations I've had with different people within Saatchi's, there's a degree of self-confidence that a lot of people probably wouldn't be aware of."

Roberts, Saatchi's worldwide head, is as ebullient as ever when discussing Stone's return. "He's helped me build a lot of brands. I'm ecstatic about it. He's family."

Roberts accepts the gap between Saatchi New Zealand and its competitors has narrowed over the past few years.

"I think Andrew's gift, genius, role, dream would be to widen that gap and put Saatchi in a market of one.

"I certainly think we have the reputation and the performance to be the one they want to knock off the perch. We now want to open a gap. I'd rather have us and then clear air, and then the next guys fighting for second and third.

"All of us have got to look at ideas that are bigger than ads and not just look at the 60-second TV commercial. We want to open up a gap in creativity, in effectiveness, in ideas that work.

"Andrew has a great track record of having thought like that and we've got a lot of talent in the agency that can deliver that. So I'm very optimistic."

Stone would have free rein to run the New Zealand operation as he saw fit. There was no mandate from Roberts or Publicis.

"The only thing we've asked him to do is come back, rejoin the family, and get Saatchi & Saatchi playing at their peak again. I think he's got the same brief as [new All Black coach] Graham Henry."

Stone says that when he begins work on February 3, his priority will be to spend time getting to know the agency's clients.

"My style is to be quite externally focused rather than internally focused. I don't see any major internal issues that need to be addressed in the first week or anything like that.

"I'd rather let [general manager] Peter Moore and the team keep doing what they're doing - because they're doing it very well - and for me to spend a bit of time being more externally focused.

"Out of that will develop what I think will be a collective view about where the future will lie in terms of structure, in terms of services, in terms of how we're perceived or anything that anyone thinks should be changed in any way."

Andrew Stone's CV

Age: 43.

Career

1982-87: Colenso.

1988-91: Saatchi & Saatchi London (appointed to board in 1990).

1991-95: Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland GM, then joint MD, then MD.

1995: Set up Generator with three others (sold business in 2000 to Bates network).

2004: Appointed chief executive, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand.

Qualifications and associations: BBS in marketing (Massey University). Vice-president CAANZ (industry body).

Family: married to Nicki, sons Harrison (6), and Patrick (4).

Interests: Pottering on 4ha block he owns at Coatesville, horse-riding, tennis, learning to fish.