Cracknell to part company with AP

Andrew Cracknell, chairman and former creative director of Ammirati Puris Lintas London, is leaving the agency, and may quit the advertising business altogether.

Cracknell, 52, is moving to APL Worldwide in November to work on a “specific creative project” with APL chief Martin Puris in New York. He will leave in December after three years at the company.

Puris says: “Andrew joined to raise APL’s profile, galvanise creative leadership and bring together a new generation of management. With this completed, it is time for Andrew to hand over.”

Cracknell says: “I’ve been thinking for some time where I go from here. I’ve been doing this for 30 years now. I’m going to take a rest, do some writing, have some jazz piano tuition and see where things take me.”

The role of chairman will be filled by APL London chief executive William Eccleshare, whose position will in turn be filled by managing director Chris Thomas.

Eccleshare says the task ahead will be to improve the agency’s integrated services and to develop its creative work. “One should always be dissatisfied with creative work – we feel there are still improvements that we are looking for,” he says.

Cracknell joined in September 1995 as executive creative director, when SP Lintas merged with sister agency Lintas i. He had previously been creative director of Bates Dorland.

His promotion to deputy chairman, then chairman, was accompanied by the departures of chairman Anthony Simonds-Gooding and chief executive Richard Hytner.