Saatchi & Saatchi boss Bartley moves on to new venture

Tim Burrowes

January 29, 2009 9:52

The departed CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney today told Mumbrella: I’ll be back.

Simone Bartley, who left the agency yesterday, said: “Thirteen years at one agency is a long time, eight of them as a CEO, both here and Singapore.

“It’s been three-and-a-half years since I’ve been back and I’ve got another opportunity within the industry, which I’m very excited about.” She said she was unable to discuss that role, or how long any non-compete period would be.

But she denied that the persistent industry rumours of tension between her and executive creative director Steve Back played any part in her departure. She said: “I wish him well and I’m sure he’d say the same thing about me.”

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.