BACK TO DEPART SAATCHI AUCKLAND FOR DEPUTY CD POST AT DDB SYDNEY

NZCC hears highly awarded Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland head of art, Steve Back, is heading back to Australia to join DDB Sydney as deputy CD and head of art. The move will bring Back full circle, once again reporting to his former Perth AWARD School mentor, Matt Eastwood (himself a former Perth AWARD School graduate), now ECD and deputy chairman of DDB Australia.
As a result of Back's appointment, NZCC hears former DDB Sydney head of art Murray Bransgrove will be leaving the agency and current deputy CD, Richard Sellbourne is taken a senior writer title.
Back was originally lured to NZ from London by Mike O'Sullivan, then ECD at Colenso BBDO Auckland, and followed him when he took up the ECD gig at Saatchi NZ. In London, Back had several high profile senior gigs including deputy CD of Grey, head of art and CD of Walsh Trott Chick Smith and group CD at Partners BDDH. Before London, he was head of art at Leo Burnett Sydney (part of the 2000 CB Agency of the Year team, teamed with Mark Collis, now national ECD of Burnetts).
Back started his career in 1991 in Perth, first at Mojo, followed by three years at Marketforce. In 1996 he headed east, securing a senior art director gig at George Patterson Bates in Sydney, where he first teamed up with Collis.
Awards include a Silver and Bronze Lion at Cannes; one Silver and two Bronze Pencils at The One Show; five Acceptances at D&AD; four Bronze at Clio; one Silver and 17 Bronze Pencils at AWARD; two ADMA Gold; plus one Silver and three Bronze Bullets at Young Guns.
An announcement from DDB of Back's appointment is expected soon, while Saatchi NZ are expected to announce a whole raft of changes within the agency early next week.