R/GA New York lures Interbrand Australia ECD Mike Rigby for executive CD brand role

July 17 2014, 9:59 am | BY Lynchy | No Comments

Mike_Rigby1.jpgR/GA New York has lured Mike Rigby from the ECD gig at Interbrand Australia to the executive creative director, brand role.

In this role, Rigby will lead brand thinking and design across R/GA offices and capabilities in addition to advising clients on how they can effectively express, manage and grow their brands. He will also partner with the R/GA business transformation team to further develop their framework for conceiving, creating, and growing brands in the connected age. Rigby will report to Aussie expat Nick Law, global chief creative officer. 

Since joining Interbrand Australia in 2010, Rigby helped transform the Australian outpost into one of the most creative and respected brand consultancies in Asia, growing the office from 10 to over 70 employees. In 2012, Interbrand Australia picked up the Campaign Asia-Pacific Specialist Agency of the Year Award, in addition to accolades from D&AD, TDC, AGDA, Design Week, Brand New and IDCA. In 2013, Rigny’s work also helped Interbrand Australia pick up its first ever Cannes Design Lion.

 

Rigby began his career at The Chase, one of the UK’s most creatively awarded design consultancies. He has also worked for top British design agencies Pentagram London and True North. While at True North, Rigby repositioned The National Portrait Gallery London, utilizing social media to open the brand up to new, younger audiences. His work resulted in a 44% increase in visitation, and the highest sales in the Gallery’s history. This was all achieved through a significant decrease in marketing spend.

 

“Mike’s unique creative vision and history of delivering world class, award-winning work will help us continue to innovate our capability,” said Nick Law. “Since our success as a company depends on connecting diverse talents and ways of thinking, it also helps that Mike is a great bloke.”

 

In 2012 Rigby was elected as the president of The Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) New South Wales. During his time as president, he fundamentally transformed the organization, helping to usher in a complete organizational restructuring, rebranding and repositioning program that has attracted a younger member base.

 

“Joining R/GA represents a unique opportunity to work with one of the most diverse and extraordinary talent pools anywhere in the world,” said Rigby. “Not only does R/GA have the vision and foresight to successfully predict the future of business and commerce – it also has the people and the capability to actually build it. It’s this unique combination of thinking and making that stands R/GA apart from other agencies. And ultimately, that’s why I’m so proud and excited to be a part of the team.”

 

Rigby is a graduate of the University of Central Lancashire (UK), graduating with 1st Class BA (Hons) Visual Communications & Marketing. He is a passionate public speaker on all design-related topics, and has recently lectured at The Museum for Contemporary Art in Sydney, The Australia Museum, The Brisbane Library and the School of Visual Arts Theatre in New York.