Leading Advertising Industry Figure Joins Designworks As Group Grows
Click to enlarge
Award-winning design agency designworks has continued its strong growth with a host of senior appointments including a
leading figure from the New Zealand advertising industry.
Mike Watkins has been appointed Group General Manager of designworks, the agency behind Air New Zealand’s speedy
check-in terminals, Auckland International Airport’s welcome-to-New-Zealand brand and favourite Kiwi brands like
Monteith’s.
It is one of five senior appointments to the company’s Wellington and Auckland teams and follows the company being named
a finalist in the 2010 Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards.
Mike Watkins has almost 20 years experience in the industry including stints as managing partner of Meares/Taine/MTC,
General Manager of M Saatchi, Managing Partner at DDB and most recently General Manager at Film Construction.
He is joined by new Design Director Damian Alexander, who worked on the Steinlager Pure Campaign at Curious Design,
Strategist and former Global Marketing Manager at Air New Zealand Mike Pepper and Retail Design Consultant Phil Walters.
Meanwhile, Phil Dunstan-Brown, former Creative Director at DNA Design, has been appointed designworks’ new Design
Director in Wellington.
Sven Baker, Managing Director at designworks, said: “These senior appointments reflect our commitment to ensuring
designworks remains New Zealand’s leading design agency. They also underline the significant growth designworks has
undergone over the past year in both our Wellington and Auckland offices. The new members of the team represent the
cream of the crop in the dynamic industry and we are excited about the future.
“The creation of a Group General Manager role was essential to maintain this momentum generated over the past 12 months.
We were impressed with Mike Watkins’ energy and ambitions for designworks as well as his strong agency background.”
Mike Watkins said: “designworks has an outstanding track record in New Zealand and has supported some of New Zealand’s
leading companies and organisations. It is widely recognised as one of the top performers in the industry and I am
delighted to be on board.”
ENDS