Chiquita King resigns as CEO of The 6AM Agency after two weeks in the role

must have to get up early to succeed there it seems?

Record for shortest tenure???? I’ve heard Chiquita is a savvy operator but surely she would have known a tiny agency is a lot more hands on.

Chiquita King is one of the best senior leaders I have had the pleasure to work with. As Managing Partner on Optus at M&C and then Westpac at DDB, both for a number of years, I think she has plenty of evidence of successfully multi tasking on fast paced business.
I’m fairly certain that if she makes any comment at all on this situation it will be done with her characteristic intelligence and diplomacy. 6AM might take note.

well said Kate and I agree totally

I absolutely agree with Kate’s comments – Chiquita King is one of the best senior leaders I’ve come across in our industry. She is incredibly smart and gives her total commitment to everything she does; to her clients, her team and the agency she works for. And, what makes her truly outstanding is way she gets things done; her impeccable professionalism and the amount she cares about the work and the people she partners with. She is highly respected and liked by all that work with her.

Chiquita is a great agency player and well known for it. Obvious attempt at character assassination by 6AM – reflects very poorly on their culture.

Totally agree, I had the pleasure of working with Chiquita at Westpac/Lavender.

I think I can beat the record for shortest tenure – I resigned on day 1 at Three mobile.

Knowing Chiquita and her commitment to integrity and authenticity, she will have made this decision based on vision and values alignment.

She’s a genuine leader and talented marketer, and a very generous human. She’ll be back doing something amazing.

CK is a very impressive operator. She’ll go onto big things!

If you have lost 2 experienced, successful CEO’s in the last 7 months … yea you may want to look in the mirror, it’s probably not them.

Dear 6am,

It would appear that the “fast-paced, multi-tasking and ‘hands on’ nature of this type of agency” hasn’t been for many of your hires.

Maybe time to reflect.

KGB

As someone who has worked for CK in her team twice now, I can assure everyone reading this that she is extremely hands on, ambitious, committed to doing whatever it takes to make great work, and supportive of her team, agency and client in whatever way they need.

The idea that she isn’t, is I’m sure laughable to anyone who’s worked with her.

Knowing what CK is like, I’m sure she had her own unique vision and sounds like she came to a difficult realisation that this wasn’t shared or supported.

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde:

‘To lose one CEO could be regarded as misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness.’

This is on par with the appalling press release the McCanns CEO wrote when her MD departed. As in that case, it reflects far more poorly on the author than the subject.

Echo all the sentiments above. Chiquita is not only one of the most supportive, generous and intelligent bosses I’ve ever had but is an incredible business operator, respected by agencies and clients alike. I look forward to seeing what she does next – no doubt it’ll be more deserving of her talent and vision.

She is a great operator. What poor PR from a “PR” agency. As others have suggested, I hope 6AM take a long hard look at themselves.

This defence of CK is one of my favourite ever uses of a comment section. She’s an incredible person and professional.

Isn’t this the agency that a certain Chris Savage chairs? Sounds like chaos with no sense of what they’re looking for or how to make it work. Not a good look possums.

Ha ha I agree. “The 6AM Agency has lost another CEO” says it all. I see a lot of character references for this Chiquita King, I dont see any here Gillian Fish. Surely the founder is the only one that could be the problem to make two CEOs AND senior staff quit so frequently?

I don’t know Chiquita but the volume of comments in her defence speaks volumes. The silence in those defending this ‘agency’ is deafening. Several individuals I know have had a similar experience, and it’s always ended as nasty as above.

I’m with James and appalled at all Ms Fish’s condescending and borderline slanderous quotes in the above about our incredible Mrs King. She alludes to traits that are the opposite of what Chiquita is.

One lasts seven months, one 6 weeks.
It would appear the business model is flawed and needs to be looked at.

If we follow this line of logic, the outcome (staff ‘not working out’) has been the consistent each time, yet the variables (staff) have changed, and the constant (agency/ownership) has remained…..

Even if we are to ignore patterns, go against logic and think this is an outlier to life, it would indicate poor hiring methods of the constant. But again, that would be a complete outlier to have such a poor hiring track record.

Don’t know you but good luck CK, looks like you have proved to have the key skill of a CEO/Senior Leader, decision making.

I think searching 6am employment reviews (And company responses) speaks the truth in regards to company expectations and culture.

https://www.glassdoor.com.au/Overview/Working-at-6AM-Marketing-EI_IE841293.11,24.htm

Without knowing the details behind the event, I tend to believe that 6am needs to go back to the drawing board and re-think the approach.

2 weeks??!!! what did she find in there that was so bad??

CK has a really good history + 2 CEO’s in no time… concerning to say the least.

A.

Couldn’t agree more. CK is all class. Unlike this press release.

I have never met Chiquita but this should be treated as good news and a moment of celebration for her. Congrats on figuring it out so quickly.

I bet the agency is pleased this story is off the mUmbrella homepage now…

I know people who have worked there and from everything I heard, I gather it’s not the employees who come into the business that can’t hack the ‘hands on’ nature, but the toxic culture that exists at the senior level. Time to reflect I think and stop negating responsibility.

Mumbrella, it’s time to start QCing the press releases you publish. I don’t know the person in question nor the agency behind the post, but (given the comments) this “story” appears to be utter nonsense. Given the proliferation and permanence of search, it’s highly subjective, irresponsible and totally disingenuous. You did the same several years back, appearing to side with a firm who have since proven (publicly) to be meaningless and unethical. As a result, you almost ruined the career of their scapegoat! Grow up.

The organic search results for 6AM Agency just took a turn for the worse.

This is a fine example of how not to approach PR on a sensitive subject. It’s in no-ones interests that a story like this is be in the press, let alone referred to in the context provided above.

I don’t know her, but I genuinely feel sorry for Ms King.

Wow. This is incredible – imagine if our industry was always this supportive of each other instead of the usual negativity and personal attacks. Go Chiquita! – I don’t know you but sounds like you had a lucky escape! Can’t imagine anyone in their right mind would want to work there now, let alone take their business there.

100% agreed Kate, CK is a legend.

Hi VK. I’m not ‘Utter nonsense’ but I’d like to jump in. You may not have ruined CK’s career but you have done irreparable damage to both Gill Fish and 6AM. Did she bring it upon herself with those comments? Potentially. But reading that it was a tip off that you received, not a press release does change things. So she didn’t sit down and prepare a press release? Rather responded hurriedly to your questions about why her CEO left after two weeks? Then it’s forgivable for saying the wrong thing in the heat of the moment, without due thought. To utter’s point, your publication does have a reputation for throwing people to the wolves to embellish a story.
PS. I’ve been fortunate to have worked closely with CK and she is wonderful and talented.

CK has been in and out of my life for years, and in that time, she’s proven herself to be a humble, dynamic, kind and fearless leader – one that I would follow to the end of the earth. She has that impact on people. This release is deeply petty and in no way reflective of the CK that the we all know, collectively and individually. I would say ‘Chin up CK!’ but there’s obviously no need – the entire industry has her back. You go girl – can’t wait to see where you pop up next!

Thanks VK.

Hopefully you’ll re-read and see that these were questions, not statements.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Regards

An “innocent” press release that now surely requires damage control after the people have picked apart its ulterior motive. CK comes out on top 6AM!

I think it’s the agency that’s come off worse here. I’ve worked for a few wrong-headed owners in the past and her comments set my alarm bells ringing. I think CK may have demonstrated exactly why she’s so valued by those that know her by walking away.

LOL.

Absolutely! But what is ironic is that if you do a quick search of the senior hires who’ve left over the last year, they’ve all previously done long stints at far bigger and better (world famous) agencies, and have since continued on their path to great success. Something at 6am smells fishy to me.

You are missing the point, Vivienne, that ‘Utter Nonsense’ is making. Each article mumbrella has written about this agency has allowed Gill to air awful comments about her ex employees that are unfair and unjustified at best, and dangerous at worst. You have a responsibility to share stories that are factually accurate. All of your stories on this agency have been loaded with mis information. Not about Gill, but about all of the ex employees.

I agree. My favourite use of a comments section on any industry blog, ever. Perhaps this can turn the tide of agency heads using pr releases to such personal selfish benefit.

Plenty of support here for Chiquita and probably does not need any more but compelled to write. Have had the pleasure of dealing with her at DDB and there was not a more passionate, kind and smart person in an agency at the time had a plethora of wonderful women , such as Nic Taylor and Fran Clayton plus others including men, doing incredible things. I think this release or statement or whatever it was , was a shocking exercise and the industry will judge accordingly

I resigned recently from a job after 2.5 months. Best thing I ever did. It was a horror show.

I worked with CK for a year and let me tell you, her leadership skills, work ethics and her strength are well known in the industry. Even though I worked with her at DDB (worst place to work, don’t go there) I accepted the job because of her and working day to day alongside her was just the best thing that could happen to me because I could see how dedicated, passionate, professional and freaking smart that woman is.

Vivienne,

If nobody had leapt to CK’s defence, are you up for libel and damages to CK’s career or is it 6AM?

You can’t promote an open forum that allows former employers to give their past employees bad references — in public, for all to see.

And it’s proven to be slander.

6am will be up till 6am trying to figure out why 6am isn’t worth getting up at 6am for.

I reckon it’s time for Chairman Chris to step in and resolve this appalling “statement” from the head of 6am. It’s one thing to say the fit wasn’t a good one, but entirely another to make a judgement call on CK’s leadership abilities, after only 2 weeks in the role. I see a litigation suit on the horizon if there isn’t a retraction of of Ms Fish’s judgements. Also, I realise you want to get a story out fast, but what happened to a CK’s side of the story. Surely you could have waited for her response before going to print, instead of the lazy cop-out of “Mumbrella has attempted to reach King for comment” which meant you unsuccessfully tried to call her, but decided you could wait a day or so for her side of the story. Appalling journalism Vivienne.

When you know – you know. Twice in my career I knew on day one that is was a mistake and I wanted to resign. Making the call to leave is always better than staying. Well done.

Same here

How many times is Fish going to use Mumbrella as a platform to make ex-employees look bad….. ??
A bit of research and you’ll see that all those ex-employees came from great companies/agencies before 6AM and are now back in great, strong positions.
This only makes 6AM and Mumbrella look very unprofessional.

‘Yeah but’,

Hopefully you learn that the use of a question mark doesn’t remove the assumptions you infer in the words preceding it. Especially when you proceed to arrogantly answer your own question.

CK was, and is, one of the finest agency leaders I’ve had the pleasure to work with.

Still miss her.

And to allow someone like this to slip through your fingers says a great deal about your agency culture.

And the nasty character attack on her way out says even more.

The problem with your defence of 6AM “Yeah but” is that it is a PR agency – supposedly skilled n issues management. GF had choices as to if, when and how she responded. Glad the agency isn’t handling my PR.

I also once woke up to find myself thrust into a Mumbrella hatchet job of which I had no prior knowledge. In fact, I wasn’t even aware it was a ‘story’, as the ‘facts’ of the matter, while loosely correct and certainly click-worthy, we’re not reported accurately and had not been fact-checked with either myself, my company or even the purported (and named) source of the piece. No requests for comment from any of us, no attempt to get the other side of the story, no journalistic rigour of any description in the rush to get the story out before another site did (which they didn’t). This was back in the days when, even if an attempt ‘was’ made at balanced reporting in a Mumbrella piece, you had only to look at the ‘Topics’ keywords at the bottom of the story to read between the lines.

BUT

In Mumbrella’s defense, I have seen fewer and fewer, such hatchet jobs in the years since. And certainly since Vivienne came on board. Instead I see largely well reported pieces – especially the longer staff (not guest) written and researched opinion pieces and special investigations – backed by what appears to be a genuine effort to put those (pre-Vivienne) click-bait-heavy, journalism-lite days behind.

So when Vivienne says she’s contacted all the parties for comments and to check the facts, I accept this. I also know that often not all parties want to make a public comment or even return a call on such matters. And if this is the choice that CK has made, I don’t blame her. Her silence actually says more about all this than the poorly worded (although hardly slanderous) comments above from 6AM.

I think Mumbrella today offers a largely fair and impartial space for all voices in our industry to be heard. If they want to hang themselves with their own rope, as 6AM seems to be repeatedly intent on doing, then that’s their own undoing. Mumbrella’s own ‘moderated for legal reasons’ policy of vetting comments (and these days editorial) tells you everything you need to know about their own approach today. (Although if this comment isn’t published, then I guess I’ll know otherwise!)

I hope all parties can learn and recover their reputations from this. No winners here, other than the Mumbrella readers on the sidelines, popcorn firmly in hand.

What a laughable article.
CK has the strength of character to rise above this ridiculous and slanderous article.

One of the best leaders i have met in my 20 year career.
Excited to see where she ends up.
Mouse!

There’s only one person I’ve witnessed with the courage and conviction to 100% back good creative during a major executive board meeting – and that’s CK. She fielded the usual client doubts like a boss displaying her signature grace, honesty, passion and wit. By the end of the presentation, our clients and creative teams admired her all the more. Congratulations on yet another courageous move, CK.
As for 6am, good luck finding another unicorn.

PR = professional lying

Congrats Chiquita on avoiding the toxic culture at 6AM, which is NOT the fault of the wonderful team members that keep the agency hanging on, but rather the leader(ship).