Saatchi veteran talking of home

By KEVIN TAYLOR

Advertising executive Peter Cullinane, who has resigned as chief operating officer of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, may return to New Zealand.

A veteran of 14 years with the leading advertising agency, he shifted to New York in 1998 to become deputy to chief executive Kevin Roberts at Saatchi Worldwide.

Yesterday, the 48-year-old, on holiday in New Zealand, said there was a better than 50 per cent chance he would return home.

He gave a year's notice in mid-December, but said the notice period might well be shorter.

Mr Cullinane said he now wanted to "lead rather than follow", but expressed no dissatisfaction with the agency.

The company was bought last year by French advertising company Publicis.

"That gave me the opportunity to use the year that has just finished to really think about what I might want to do next."

He concluded he wanted to do "more, or less, but just not the same."

It had looked like he would be in the same job for another two or three years before a chance for advancement arose.

"That opportunity would only arise with Kevin Roberts' leaving, and I don't think Kevin's in a hurry to go anywhere.

"That meant I would continue in that COO role for longer than I think is productive for me."

Mr Cullinane said his other option besides returning to New Zealand was landing a senior role in another advertising network in the United States, although such positions were scarce.

The father of three said if he returned home, all options were open - and not necessarily in advertising.

One area of interest was marketing New Zealand products overseas.

"What I would like to do if we come back to New Zealand is pursue not one thing but a number of things simultaneously."