Clemenger Group chairman Robert Morgan retires
Robert Morgan
Clemenger Group’s chairman Robert Morgan has announced he will retire at the end of the month.
Morgan started with Clemenger 46 years ago. He started as an account executive in Melbourne, and rose through the ranks.
When co-founder Peter Clemenger stepped down in 1998, Morgan became CEO of the group, a role he stayed in until the end of 2021. He was also chairman of the group, a role he has held for over 23 years.
Robert Morgan
During Morgan’s tenure, Clemenger Group started businesses including OMD, bought businesses, and closed some too. But, according to Morgan, “we never forgot our core purpose”.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, he said: “The Clemenger Group grew strongly, and we had great success.
“Our agencies were recognised locally and globally for our work. Clemenger and Colenso won Agency of the Decade awards. Not only in advertising, but across the marketing services spectrum, we have had best-of-class businesses being awarded as such.
“We have had success because we were able to attract and keep the best talent. There is no doubt we have had the best talent. I have loved the business and have been incredibly lucky to have had the career I’ve had. But the best thing has been the remarkable talented and wonderful people I’ve worked with over these 46 years.
“We have a strong company. And I’m confident of the future. As long as we never forget – great work, works best!”
Les Timar, who succeeded Morgan as CEO of Clemenger Group in 2022, sung his praises in a statement.
“It is very rare for someone to have spent such a large part of their career with the one company, but Robert has always been the exception to the rule. He is a courageous, respected leader who has championed creativity and has been instrumental in growing Clemenger Group to the successful network of advertising, marketing and consulting companies it has become today.
“Robert has also been a fantastic mentor – always generous with his time and wisdom – and a tireless advocate of our company’s longstanding values, none more so than ‘Think We, Not Me’.
“Thank you, Robert on behalf of all of us at Clemenger Group. Your contribution to our company and our country’s marketing and communications industry has been nothing short of remarkable.”
Morgan was also chair of Creative Australia, a role he also stepped down from last month.
He has also been a long-serving board member for AFL club Sydney Swans, and was on the Opera Australia board for nearly a decade.
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I first met Rob in the mid 90s. Generous with his time, shrewd with his decisions. He taught me the hard way not to swallow the snake oil of a certain Sydney counterpart when the battle was on to succeed Peter. He wasn’t always happy with what I wrote, but even then he was the consumate diplomat. And of course, there was “the dinner”. A prize from the agency for winning some sort of quiz and hosted by his MD. Reputedly the most expensive one-on-one journo dinner Clems ever paid for. He leaves enormous shoes to fill and an unmatched legacy.
Congratulations Robert. You were great to work for.
Maybe you should start being the Coach of the Swans!
Remarkable that a creative industry publication would so thoroughly sidestep the Venice Biennale debacle that unfolded under Morgan’s watch as Chair of Creative Australia.
While his legacy in advertising may be secure, his short-lived tenure at Creative Australia deserve more scrutiny than silence.