Drum duo to lead Aegis start-up

Ian Darby, Campaign 24-Aug-07

Laurence Munday and Simon George to launch creative and content business called Space for Aegis.

Aegis Media has poached the Drum PHD founding partners Laurence Munday
and Simon George to launch a creative and content business called
Space.

Munday and George will work with Aegis' UK businesses, including Carat

and Vizeum, on creating, sourcing and managing entertainment properties.

They will be creating "alternative" content for brands across
traditional and new-media platforms.

In response, PHD has promoted Mark Eaves, the managing director of Drum
Screen, its branded content unit, to the post of managing director of
Drum. It has also hired Rupert Britton as content strategy director.
Britton, who will work in PHD's Consult division, was previously the
director of consultancy at Decipher, an interactive content agency.

Drum was launched by Munday and George in 1994, and they sold the
business to PHD in 1997. They have worked on a range of sponsorship and
content projects for clients including Sainsbury's, Adidas and The
Guardian.

Nigel Sharrocks, the chief executive of Aegis UK & Ireland, said:
"Opportunities to communicate with consumers extend way beyond
above-the-line advertising. We want to ensure that we are right at the
forefront of these alternative solutions."

The departures of Munday and George follow those of David Pattison and
Jonathan Durden, the agency's two remaining founders.

PHD's management team, led by Morag Blazey, the chief executive, and
Daren Rubins, the managing director, have since brought in new faces,
including the Mediaedge:cia director, Ian Redman, and the Starcom
director, Luca Margarito, as managing partners.