There’s a lot to be said for true independence

Naturally, I was saddened to read that DLKW has had to lay off 5% of its staff (MW last week).

The reporter chose to speculate on how much blame could be laid at the door of Creston, DLKW’s parent group. I would argue that there’s no point in even speculating. Greg Delaney was forced to defend Creston’s “non-interventionist style of ownership” and insisted that the move was a business decision. That sort of language does nothing more than formally introduce the old ghost at the banquet as a guest speaker. A group owner cannot help but intervene, whether directly (forcing redundancies) or indirectly (setting targets and earn-outs).

Johnny Hornby is overwhelmingly correct when he says independence enables them to make decisions the way they want to. An independent can control its business, hire staff that perhaps don’t fit a group-dictated mould and can expand in a way network agencies cannot. As an independent, we have no selfishness and no infighting, and we are all the better for it. I hope the nine staff find a happy home.

Peter Worster

Managing and planning director

Presky Maves London WC2