Batey revamps as creative staff quit

<p>SINGAPORE: The former creative group head at South African agency </p><p>Jupiter Drawing Room, Peter Callaghan, will be joining Batey Ads, which </p><p>is restructuring its creative department following the departures of </p><p>several senior people. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Batey Group chairman, Jon Collins, who was previously the managing </p><p>director of Jupiter Group, said Callaghan is a copy-based creative and </p><p>is one of the top three creatives in South Africa. Callaghan will start </p><p>in mid-July, Collins said, adding that he "is coming in with the support </p><p>of all the creative group heads". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Callaghan replaces Gary Tranter and Matt Cullen (see P6) who left to </p><p>become executive creative directors at Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong. Other </p><p>recent departures include Andrew Reznik, who is now executive creative </p><p>director at Lowe Lintas & Partners,while copywriter Rodd Chant and art </p><p>director Richard Copping left to join BBDO. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Callaghan said of his move: "I have been at Jupiter forever, so I am at </p><p>the point in my career where I'd welcome a challenge." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Despite the spate of departures, Collins said the agency's staff </p><p>turnover stood at seven per cent this year compared to 44 per cent last </p><p>year. The restructuring means staff now work in four brand teams, each </p><p>with its own creative group head. Gary Caulfield is creative group head </p><p>on Singapore Airlines, Justin White handles OCBC, Jason Hodges is on </p><p>StarHub and the agency is looking for a creative group head for </p><p>Mercedez-Benz. Collins said: "By 2003 we want to be regarded as the best </p><p>creative solutions network." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Collins also plans to appoint a creative director for the Batey Group, </p><p>which has six offices in Asia-Pacific, and will be introducing a </p><p>benchmarking system similar to Leo Burnett's 7-plus ratings plan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>