Arcom chief leaves to form Net-based agency

John McWilliams, group vice-chairman of Arcom, has left the company to set up an e-driven creative consultancy.

The new venture, called Jojo, aims to draw on creative and production facilities worldwide through the Internet. The consultancy is backed by an undisclosed major agency group, which will supply international support services.

McWilliams has set up the consultancy with Attic Futura, the magazine publishing company, as his founding client. Attic is expected to spend &£3m on conventional advertising through Jojo in the next year.

“I’m a classic serial entrepreneur,” says McWilliams. “I’ve left Arcom because the task of turning it from an ad agency into a communications agency, in which I played a part, is completed.

“Ad agencies are still too hung up on their infrastructures instead of concentrating on what they should be doing – communications. Going the Internet route, I can create an instant global network on lower overheads, and turn around work much faster. These days, clients want their product at warp speed,” he adds.

McWilliams was formerly chairman and creative partner of the McWilliams Partnership. In autumn 1998, he merged his agency with Arc Group, run by Peter Steadman, which was subsequently rebranded Arcom (MW September 17 1998).

Jojo, which currently employs three creatives, is based in Docklands.