Justin Drape, group chief creative officer of The Monkeys, is leaving the company he co-founded in 2006 with Mark Green and Scott Nowell.
He hasn't revealed his next move.
Since their inception as the Three Drunk Monkeys 15 years ago, Drape has been instrumental in growing the agency from the three founders to more than 150 people with offices in Sydney and Melbourne.
The Monkeys, now part of Accenture Interactive, has become a cultural creative force by creating critically acclaimed TV shows, charting songs, books, technology and ideas that have won awards and recognition at major award shows, including D&AD, Cannes, Clio, Webbys, AWARD, AACTA Awards, Logies & EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Drape says: “What has always made The Monkeys special, is the talented people who committed to shaping the agency’s culture, brand and story. The talented people who continually turn up and challenge the status quo with their creativity, intelligence and relentless belief in making provocative ideas happen. I want to thank all of them.”
The founders remain close, says CEO Mark Green: “We’ve been told more than once that to grow a business like ours you are going to experience great highs and lows and to get out the other side as friends is some kind of miracle. Yet here we are. We have been through so much together both from a business perspective and a personal perspective.”
Scott Nowell: “We’ve been through so much together it’s hard to know where to start. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved and even more so how we’ve done it. Anyone who’s worked with Justin will tell you he’s a force of nature and I’m excited to see what his next chapter brings.”
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.