Senior art director with Leo Burnett, Micah Walker, has been appointed creative director, while ex-D'Arcy general manager Patrick Rowe takes the new post of business development manager. Rowe originally moved to Burnett as senior account director on Canon - which the agency also scored in the D'Arcy fallout - WorkCover and Dutch bank Rabobank.
Walker had been in his role for the past 18 months and replaces Nick Souter, who has been elevated to executive creative director. Rowe said his new position was shaped to help better integrate Burnett's accounts with the agency's functions, while pushing training and development across 50 client service staff.
"What we're trying to do is make sure the company has all the skills and knowledge across the board to offer that variety to our clients," Rowe said. In addition, Rowe will continue to run the Canon, WorkCover and Rabobank accounts and look after new business development.
Both Rowe and Walker have had several years to forge their skills both in Australia and overseas. Before joining Burnett Sydney, Walker was associate creative director at theWarsaw office - one of the most awarded agencies in Europe - and has also worked in the US and Asia.
Rowe started his career in travel marketing in Australia and the US before joining D'Arcy as worldwide account director for the Australian Tourist Commission in 1999.
Burnett managing director Troy Ruhanen said: "Both Micah and Pat have proven themselves to be tremendous assets to the company."