Ogilvy has announced that Toby Talbot, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), will leave the agency this week after more than three and a half years in the role. Talbot joined Ogilvy in January 2022 as the network’s first trans-Tasman CCO, overseeing creative teams and outputs across both Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Ogilvy, he served as CCO at DDB-owned Catorce in Barcelona.
During his tenure, Talbot led several transformative initiatives aimed at redefining the creative impact of the agency. Most notably, he co-developed the Return On Creativity (ROC) framework in partnership with Chief Strategy Officer Fran Clayton. ROC was designed to measure the value of creativity beyond traditional ROI metrics, emphasizing the commercial impact of innovative ideas while strengthening collaboration with clients.
Under Talbot’s leadership, Ogilvy ANZ experienced a notable creative resurgence. His tenure saw the delivery of iconic campaigns including Matildas ‘Til It’s Done, Coca-Cola’s Meet Me at the Coke Sign, La Roche-Posay’s The Spot, and KFC’s Kentucky Fly. These campaigns were praised for their bold execution, culturally relevant storytelling, and seamless integration of social, earned, and brand strategies, cementing Ogilvy’s reputation as a leading creative force in the region.
Reed Collins, Ogilvy APAC’s Chief Creative Officer, acknowledged Talbot’s contribution to the network, stating:
“I want to personally thank Toby for all he’s accomplished in his time at Ogilvy. He has been a true advocate for borderless creativity across the network, a magnet for emerging talent, and a leader in shaping the next generation of creative leadership. The work speaks for itself, and he leaves the agency in a strong creative position for the future.”
Reflecting on his time at Ogilvy, Talbot said:
“Advertising is a team sport, and the opportunity to galvanize Ogilvy’s creative output across the entire business brought me back to ANZ. It’s been an incredible journey, all-consuming at times, but the way Ogilvy now leverages creative thinking to go beyond traditional transactional approaches makes me proud of where we are today. Now feels like the right time for me to step away—I want a new challenge. I focus on ideas that drive commercial outcomes, behavior change, or major reappraisals. These are transferable skills, and I plan to put what I’ve learned into practice in the next chapter of my career.”
Talbot will depart at the end of this week, leaving behind a robust creative leadership team comprising Max McKeon, Ant Simmons, Nina East, and Bridget Jung, who will continue to build upon the foundation he established at Ogilvy ANZ. His departure comes a month after Ogilvy ANZ CEO Sally Kissane also announced she would be leaving, marking a period of leadership transition for the agency.
