There are ten agencies where the highest paid director takes home a
salary of more than pounds 300,00, according to the Campaign agency
performance survey, prepared by the accountancy company, Willott
Kingston Smith.
The year’s highest-paid director was David Warden, the chairman of
McCann-Erickson, who earned pounds 663,000 in 1996. Second highest was
an unnamed director of Ammirati Puris Lintas on pounds 548,964 - a 179
per cent increase on the previous year.
The largest pay rise went to third-placed Alasdair Ritchie, president of
TBWA Europe, who earned pounds 483,788, compared with pounds 143,785 for
the previous year’s highest-paid director at TBWA.
The year saw ’solid growth’ for the sector, according to the WKS
partner, Steve Waring. The top 50 agencies increased their cumulative
gross income by 9.8 per cent and operating profit margin on gross income
rose from 4.9 per cent to 6.2 per cent.
Waring commented: ’Familiar names such as Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and
BMP DDB prove once again that creativity and profitability often go hand
in hand.’
Waring also pointed to DMB&B and Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper for registering
’sparkling improvements.’
Feature, p 44.
