Saatchi's new man confident dream team can work

Dylan Harrison says he is thrilled to have the wealth of Saatchi global president Kevin Roberts' experience to draw on. Photo / Supplied

Dylan Harrison says he is excited by his new role as creative chief at Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand.

And he is only slightly daunted that he will be working a stone's throw from Saatchi's global president, Kevin Roberts.

After 10 years as a creative with DDB in London, Harrison signed up as executive creative director two weeks ago.

The Australian, who has spent the past 13 years in Britain, will be filling the role vacated by high-profile adman Mike O'Sullivan last year.

Harrison, who is married to a Kiwi, starts on February 22 alongside his newly appointed chief executive, Nicola Bell - an expatriate New Zealander and senior advertising executive with ad agency Ogilvy in New York, who replaces Andrew Stone.

The relationship between Harrison and Bell will be pivotal. Harrison said that he and Bell had met in New York several times to ensure that they could work well together.

"It is more than whether we get on - it's about our approach to advertising." he said.

"All my meetings with Nicola, that was the prerequisite - it's beyond being friends or getting on.

"There are people who are resistant to change and people who embrace it full throttle.

"I had to make sure that Nicola and I were going to be able to work together. Ogilvy New York and DDB London are big traditional places with big brand experience," he said.

The changes at Saatchi are significant for an agency that once dominated New Zealand advertising, slipped in the latter half of the past decade and lost key accounts last year including Television New Zealand.

At Saatchi's premises, the entrance to Kevin Roberts' spacious office has been dubbed "the Stairway to Kevin".

Roberts' own international profile is linked to his New Zealand associations. Much of his time is spent in New York with regular visits to the Paris head office of Saatchi's owners, The Publicis Group.

The Auckland base is an anomaly, as is the fact that Roberts sits on the board of Saatchi's biggest client - Telecom.

"It's a little [daunting], but I like that pressure," Harrison said.

"KR is a great leader. It's great that in New Zealand we can get someone like him to help us with clients."

* Dylan Harrison

Dylan Harrison is taking over as executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand.

With new chief Nicola Bell, he will oversee campaigns for high-profile advertisers such as Telecom, Westpac and Toyota.

In his last role as a creative with DDB London he worked on accounts including Volkswagen, Budweiser and the Guardian.