David Abbott is scaling down his involvement in the Abbott Mead Vickers
group as part of a handover of power to the next generation of senior
managers.
Abbott, 58, will quit as group chairman and leave the group board at the
end of the year, but remains as chairman and creative director of the
AMV BBDO agency.
The change will allow Abbott, regarded as one of the finest copywriters
of his generation, to concentrate exclusively on producing ads.
His withdrawal will precipitate a run of ‘musical chairs’ with Peter
Mead, the group chief executive, taking over as chairman. His place is
taken by Michael Baulk, who adds group chief executive officer
responsibilities to his existing role as agency chief executive officer.
Abbott insisted this week that he had no immediate plans for retirement
and would continue working full-time until he was 60, when he would
examine his options.
However, he confirmed that Peter Souter, named as his creative heir
apparent (Campaign, 12 January) would be named as the agency’s creative
director next year.
‘I shall be what clients and colleagues fear most - a writing chairman,’
Abbott said. ‘But I hope they’ll feel reasonably benign about it.’
