FCB New Zealand CEO Sebastien Desclee is departing the local arm of the agency. Photo / Supplied
FCB New Zealand CEO Sebastien Desclee is departing the local arm of the agency. Photo / Supplied
Auckland advertising agency FCB has confirmed the departure of chief executive Sébastien Desclée. Former Saatchi & Saatchi NZ managing director Paul Wilson will join the agency, stepping in as co-CEO within an updated agency structure.
The changes at the agency also include the promotion of Sean Keaney to chief executiveof FCB Wellington.
These changes come off the back of the 2022 promotions of Leisa Wall and Peter Vegas as the agency’s first co-chief creative directors. Other key roles in the leadership structure include Media chief executive Blair Alexander, chief transformation officer and FCB/Six lead Qassem Naim and director of philosophy Vivien Sutherland Bridgwater.
Desclée first joined FCB in 2021, following the departure of Paul Shale from the agency.
The Belgian arrived at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and had to complete quarantine in managed isolation before taking on the role.
He initially joined the agency from his position as global client lead on Heineken at the Publicis Groupe but he is no stranger to FCB, having served as its president of international markets and CEO of FCB’s global production arm Fuelcontent, within the FCB Global network between 2013 and 2019.
Upon his return to Europe, Desclée will stay with FCB and take on responsibility for new global projects and initiatives.
Desclée told the Herald today that he wanted to return to Europe to be closer to his family, after two years of living across two countries. This experience was not easy given he still has young, school-age children who had already faced enormous disruption due to the pandemic.
Desclée said he felt satisfied with his contribution to FCB’s local arm, especially now that the agency has a new leadership team in place.
During his time at FCB, Desclée championed the idea he coined “long-term progressive change,” which emphasised the idea that business could be both profitable and good for the world.
This thinking was reflected in moves like this appointment of Bridgwater to the unconventional role of director of philosophy, which was designed to ensure that the agency lived up to the principles it claimed to have. “It’s about making sure that what we’re doing is sincere and authentic,” Desclée told the Herald in an earlier interview.
“Her role is to challenge us a lot, actually. We will make mistakes, but we have to if we’re serious about being on this journey. Philosophy means the love of wisdom and that’s really what we’re trying to achieve.”
Desclée’s replacement at FCB, Wilson, is best known for his tenure as the Saatchi managing director from 2016 to 2021.
Paul Wilson will step in as the new chief executive. Photo / Supplied.
After that, he worked as managing director at TBWA but departed after only a year in that role. He has since been consulting, independently, in the industry.
Wilson is well-regarded in the industry, having worked with numerous large brands including Toyota, Fonterra, Instant Kiwi, Heineken and BNZ.
“Getting the opportunity to join a creative business that is fuelled by a world-class data, technology and media offering is an incredibly compelling proposition. I can’t wait to get started,” he said.
