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In The Hot Seat – Nick Clements

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Team TMN catch up with Nick Clements, CEO at Ampersand and COO at MCG&Co, who talks about his role and what he thinks of the talent and marketing industry in the Middle East…

Name: Nick Clements

Nationality: English

Current job titles: CEO, Ampersand and COO, MCG&Co

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

In 2013, on National Day…there was a great party going on.

Where did you work prior?

I most recently worked with advertising agency, BPGBates as CEO for three years and previously, before coming to Dubai I worked with Ogilvy, Innocean and JWT in Dublin, Frankfurt and London respectively.

What were your first impressions of the talent and marketing industry in the Middle East?

It was clear immediately that there is loads of great marketing talent in the region. But it was equally clear that there is a very variable commitment to the development of that talent.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not really, but what we are seeing is that the serious players are becoming more committed to developing and training their most valuable assets.

Tell us about your current role…

I wear two hats. I’m the CEO at Ampersand, which my partner Justin McGuire and I launched last year in Dubai, London, Hong Kong and Singapore. I’m also the COO of MCG&Co of which Justin is the CEO.

What challenges do you face?

Our business is really fizzing which is great and so the biggest challenge is using our time as wisely as possible.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Ampersand is a young company and we are firing on all cylinders right now, so every day brings new rewards from winning business to hiring new staff. But the bottom line is always happy clients.

Describe yourself in five words…

Not good at short sentences.

Who inspires you?

My extraordinary family and ‘Hero’ the Ampersand Mascot

What’s your most overused saying?

‘There is a clue in the name!’

Five things you can’t live without?

Family, work, fitness, cricket and travel

What’s the most exciting thing that has happened to you in your career?

Joining MCG&Co and launching Ampersand.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Probably running an advertising agency – my other great love.

If you could have one work wish granted, what would it be?

I’d like to see Ampersand and the MCG& Group in India, Australia and the USA in the next few years

Brave & Heart launches

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David Parkinson and Richard Rust, former Heads of Digital at Nissan have launched new consultancy, Brave & Heart. With over 25 years of experience, David joined Nissan in 1999 and has worked on leading the flagship digital programmes and the launch of Nissan Qashqai to global success. Richard brings with him 12 years of experience in working with brands, agencies and consultancies such as Land Rover, Accenture and Ogilvy before heading the digital operations at Nissan. The new consultancy will focus on working with flexible teams and global implementation partners, to support clients across key areas of digital activities including strategy, transformation and experimental.

“Offering agile, remote teams and engaging specialist expertise where and when needed, is something that is critical to our approach,” says Richard. “We provide expert digital firepower to our clients without the burden of expensive consultancy overheads and the associated bureaucracy.”

David adds, “We see a clear need for a new model – one that harnesses real-world expertise and is able to provide rapid, flexible support to brands and their partners to deliver disruptive digital. Amateur hour is over. Our clients need bravery and passion.”

Region’s talent honoured at MENA digital awards

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The region’s top digital advertising talent has been honoured at the second ever MENA Digital Awards ceremony, the only awards programme in the region dedicated to celebrating marketing in the digital industry. The event concluded the two-day Digital Media Forum (DMF) 2015, which attracted 500 industry stakeholders from across the MENA region and beyond to discuss the latest developments taking place across the digital landscape.

Big winners were Leo Burnett MENA, who won the Grand Prix Award as well as a number of awards across several categories including two golds in Digital Cause Marketing, a gold in Best Digital PR, a gold in Best Use of Social Media, a silver in Best Performance Campaign, a bronze in Best Use of Video and a bronze in Best Use of Mobile. Omnicom picked up the Network of the Year award, and OMD picked up the Agency of the Year.

Other notable winners included Initiative MENA, who garnered two silver awards for their work for KFC, under Best Application Mobile/Tablet and Best Use of Mobile, as well as two bronze awards under Best Integrated Media Campaign and Best Use of Video. Socialize Agency received two gold awards, BBDO collected one gold, three silvers and a bronze and Proximity picked up a gold, two silvers and a bronze. Other awards under different categories went to UM MENA, Ogilvy, Buzzman, OMD MENA, PHD and Sama Dubai.

“The MENA Digital Awards is the only marketing industry awards programme in the region that focuses solely on the digital sector,” says Najla Semaan Mazboudie, Managing Director of Spot On Media Services and Events, owner and founder of DMF and the MENA Digital awards. “It was established last year to honour success and excellence in the sector, thereby helping to promote the best in digital marketing planning, creativity, innovation, and effectiveness.”