SYDNEY: The Campaign Palace national chief executive Jacques Burger is stepping down after two years at the helm to return to South Africa.
Burger's departure comes a month after former national CEO Mark Mackay returned to the agency as executive chairman. Mackay told AdNews Burger would leave the agency at the end of August and he expected to appoint a managing director for the Sydney office shortly.
Burger is take up a senior role at M&C Saatchi in South Africa.
"We are well advanced in the search and are delighted to say and are delighted to say we have already identified some really good candidates."
Mackay said the agency was looking overseas to fill the role.
"We are not in a panic - the agency is in good shape and we have a good leadership team - we'd rather get the right person into the role and I am happy to step into the reigns [in Sydney] until we find the right person. Jacques has successfully steered The Palace through great change and helped re-establish its creative reputation.
"He has also been key in securing fresh new talent for the agency in creative, digital and planning. We wish him well in his new post."
Burger said: “I have had a tremendous time at The Palace. The agency has great clients, some of the most famous brands in Australia and great people. I have enormous respect for their thinking, work and most importantly, their values. I know that The Palace will continue to do well under the leadership of Mark and his team.
“My family and I have loved living in Australia but an unexpected and phenomenally exciting opportunity to join M&C in South Africa, work with old friends and back the Springboks unashamedly (even when they don't deserve it) have all influenced what was a tough decision in the end.”
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