Breakaway plan shakes Faulds

Faulds Advertising managing director Jim Faulds has acted to stop a breakaway from his agency.

Four of the agency’s directors had been planning to start up their own agency – called The Union – and were forced to tell Faulds late last week after news leaked out.

The proposed group comprised director of client services Ian McAteer, media director Christine Tulloch, planning director Dennis Chester and joint creative director Simon Scott.

Faulds’ clients include Standard Life and John Menzies and it has won on a number of new accounts, notably the Royal Bank of Scotland, ScottishPower and British Midland.

Faulds is believed to have persuaded McAteer and Scott back on board by offering them shares in the agency. Both Tulloch and Chester are also still in their jobs.

Jim Faulds denies any changes in the share structure of the agency, but refuses to comment further on the aborted venture.

It is believed that Scott and partner Andrew Lindsay were annoyed with the appointment of rival The Leith Agency’s creative director Jim Downie at the beginning of the month as a third creative director.

This may have hastened Scott’s decision to join the breakaway group. Sources now question the harmony of the Scott-Lindsay partnership, as well as their relationship with Downie.

Faulds is highly-rated in the Scottish market, and has moved ahead of arch rival The Leith Agency in the past year. It recently won the top prize in the Epica Awards ahead of Bartle Bogle Hegarty’s “Clayman” ad for Levi jeans. (MW January 13).

It has also taken on many of the top staff The Leith Agency has made redundant in recent months. These include Downie; Helena Ward, account director; and Raymond Allan, head of creative services.