GGT Advertising has finally filled the gap created by the departure two
years ago of its managing director, Jim Kelly, by promoting Grant
Duncan, joint deputy managing director since 1993.
The move frees Bryn Butler, the joint chief executive of the GGT
subsidiary, BDH, to return to Manchester after a year as caretaker
managing director. It also leaves Rosie Doggett, the other joint deputy
managing director, redundant.
‘Grant is the right person for the job,’ Jan Hall, European chief
executive of the GGT Group, said. ‘I think people feel that for the last
year GGT has made good progress, but there has been a question mark over
who will lead the agency long term.’
Duncan, 37, joined GGT two years ago from Collett Dickenson Pearce,
where he was head of client services. His arrival coincided with Kelly’s
departure. At the same time, Dick Butler was promoted from deputy
managing director to deputy chairman, and the chairman, Mike Greenlees,
signalled an intention to become more involved in the day-to-day running
of the agency.
In October last year, Doggett was promoted from head of account
management to joint deputy managing director and Duncan was made joint
deputy managing director for Europe, reporting to Hall. Duncan kept
responsibility for account management in London, and Doggett was
responsible for some client handling and for business development.
Duncan said his new task was to re-emphasise the agency’s strong
creative reputation while maintaining all-round stability. ‘We need to
achieve a greater focus regarding how the outside world sees GGT,’ he
said. ‘It was set up by entrepreneurs who combined real business skills
and tremendous creative talent. I want to revisit that but with a 90s
concept.’
