BMF hires two ECDs – Carlos Alija and Laura Sampedro from Spanish agency
Alija and Sampedro
After an extensive global search, Photon-owned ad agency BMF has turned to top Spanish shop Señora Rushmore for new creative talent, bringing in Laura Sampedro and Carlos Alija as executive creative directors.
Sampedro – who has a planning background – and Alija, replace Dylan Taylor, who was promoted from ECD to managing partner last year after a restructure that saw the agency split into three.
Alija’s career includes stints at Y&R, McCann Erickson, Publicis and BBDO. Sampedro was previously head of planning at Señora Rushmore, and has worked at Lowe Lintas, TBWA, Publicis and BBDO.
I am a huge fan of BMF’s, but this hire leaves me scratching my head.
ECDs are not generally planners. Or married to each other.
Plus, for whatever reason, foreign import ECDs have not experienced much success in our country, ever.
I hope that did’t sound racist.
Many creatives from all sorts of places have obviously enjoyed enormous success in Australia, of course.
Just not many, perhaps none at all, who arrived on our shores at ECD level.
Why is that?
Anyone?
Well Gary Horner was an import (British people also are) and he did ok.
I think it’s a great hire, one you would expect from an agency that isn’t going to be defined by what the market thinks but by what it does. The best planners are all actually pretty creative.
Hats off to BMF and welcome (or Bienvenido) should I say – to the Spanish team 🙂
Heading South … it’s easy to criticise from afar. This could be a brilliant move. I’m sure the BMF wouldn’t have chosen these two without considerable reason.
Isn’t Nick Wortington from Colenso an ex-planner? He seems to be doing OK
Seriously? Gary Horner being held up as a successful import?
Really?