Lavender has appointed a new CEO to lead the agency as founder Will Lavender steps up into a chairman role.
DigitasLBi Asia Pacific CEO Roy Capon will take the reins from 18 July, working alongside the agency's senior partners, head of technology Clint Bauer and executive creative director Marco Eychenne.
Will Lavender tells AdNews his new role won't see him step back from the agency, but will instead be focused on supporting Capon, as well as expanding the agency's CX offering, unveiled in a reposition last year.
"I'm trying to deepen our management structure," Lavender says. "Bringing in someone of Roy's calibre into the business is very healthy; he brings a lot of digital skills into the business."
"I'll be focused on really working with cleints in the agencies on key challenges and problems as well as business development. There is also a support role to play at a senior level. I've been in the market for 30+ years doing what i'm doing and it does give you an ability to see a way through problems."
Capon has more than 20 years' experience in the industry, including four years at DigitasLBi building the agency's Asia-Pacific network in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, China and India.
Last year, Lavender repositioned as an agency from its traditional digital and direct pedigree into customer experience (CX). It focuses on five key pillars: consulting, data, creative, technology and delivery.
At the time, Lavender told AdNews the idea of building an agency around CX was something he had been working towards since he started the agency in 1997.
“Customers don’t split up the marketing from the customer experience and I think even more so, nowadays, people judge the experience of the brand, how intelligently they feel the brand treats them and the communication all as one,” Lavender said.
“I made the decision I wasn’t going to get out of this industry without enabling our clients to execute the strategies that we were all writing together.”
Capon previously worked at Wunderman as group client MD and Y&R Brands. He also ran digital at Euro RSCG in London and Sydney.
“I am a huge believer in the combined power of data, creativity and technology in an agency that relentlessly focuses on the consumer, so Lavender is perfect for me," Capon says.
“Coming back to Sydney is like coming home and I can’t wait to work with Will, Clint, Marco and the Lavender team to further build on the agency’s success as we continue to deliver customer-focused work for our clients that builds value for their brands.”
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