Designworks Expands In Sydney: Asia Next

Designworks Bold Regional Growth Strategy

Sydney, February 22, 2012: In a move that will create the largest strategic brand design practice in Australasia, Designworks will this month launch into the Sydney market through taking control of fellow STW Group company Yello Sydney. Yello will rebrand as Designworks.

The Designworks launch in Sydney forms a continuation of the agency’s regional growth strategy and expands its spatial and interactive offering across the Australian marketplace and into Asia. The Designworks Group team of more than 100 now operates in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with a representative office in Hong Kong servicing major clients there.

“The Sydney move is an important part of our plan for 2012,” explained Designworks Group CEO Sven Baker. “We have been working with the team at Yello in Sydney for a while: fomalising our partnership was the logical next step. The fusion of two excellent design agencies will provide a strong, unified group under the Designworks brand for serving our Trans-Tasman and Asian clients.” “Specialist capabilities across the offices can now be shared and the best skill sets applied. The move also significantly strengthens our Consumer FMCG and corporate brand offering,” Mr Baker said. “The additional capacity will also be essential for supporting our continued expansion into Asia, where we continue to win top shelf assignments and will need to expand our on-the-ground presence.”

STW’s CEO Michael Connaghan said: "A key growth strategy for STW Group is to leverage even more effectively our core strengths. In Designworks we have one of the most talented teams of design and branding leaders in the world. This team has a proven track record of growth. Sydney is a major opportunity to leverage this momentum and Yello provides an ideal launch pad for this to happen. It makes perfect sense and ensures Designworks’ momentum continues in this market while also offering an opportunities-rich environment for Yello staff."

Mark Kennedy, Head of Strategy, will become Acting GM for Designworks Sydney while a global search is now well advanced to secure a new Creative Director.

Mr Kennedy said: “Joining Designworks is a great step forward for the business. We now have a strong regional presence as part of the preeminent design practice in this part of the world. The benefit to clients is a single agency able to service them in multiple markets through a 'group perspective', enabling us to share knowledge and expertise based on need, not geography. These developments and growth will also provide more career development opportunities for our people.” He said the Sydney office would continue to service a strong mix of corporate and consumer clients including Australand, Westpac, Coca Cola

and Brown-Forman. Designworks is Australia’s pre-eminent multidisciplinary design consultancy with specialist Brand, Interactive and Digital offering. With a client base ranging from the region’s largest corporates to entrepreneurial start-ups, the firm has curved its award-winning reputation for helping transform business performance through work that engenders loyalty and advocacy from customers and staff alike.

STW Group is Australia’s leading marketing content and communications service group.

ENDS

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