HamishMcLennan,
Chairman,REAGroup,
non-execdirectorMagellan
FinancialGroup
“Atrealestate.com.auwehave
workedwithBWMformanyyears
now.Theyhavealwaysshown
a willingnesstopushcreativity,
whilehavinga strongcommitment
todeliveringREA’scommercial
outcomes.Ourbrandisoneof
Australia’smostrespectedand
loved,andBWMhaveplayeda key
roleinbuildingit.It mightsounda
littleoldfashionedbuttheirSydney
andMelbourneofficesthinkasone,
theirteamsarealwaysresponsive
andtheytelluswhattheythink
whatevertheconsequences.Rob,
PaulandJamiehavebeenpartners
for 23 yearsnow,whichisquite
remarkable.Asa clientI greatly
valuethelengthandstabilityof
theirpartnershipandviewit asa
major competitive advantage”.MatthewCallachor,
PresidentandCEO
ofToyotaMotor
CorporationAustralia
“ToyotaAustralia’srelationship
withBWMDentsuisonethat
continuestostandthetestof
time.It’sbeena tremendous
partnershipthathasevolved
inlinewithourbrandvision,
andalongsidethemany
changeswehaveseenwithin
ourbusinessandthelarger
automotiveindustry.
Thestrengthofthe
relationshipisbasedon
mutualrespectandhas
beenintegralinhelping
ToyotaAustraliashapebrand
intooneofthemosticonic
Australianmarques,bringing
ourconsumersalongforthe
journey,andasa result,seeing
ourproductsbecomeiconic
household names.”ChantalWalker,
MarketingDirector
I firstmetRob,PaulandJamie
whenI arrivedinAustralia 16 years
agowitha jobatTelstraBigPond
andwasa freshfaced,clientwho
wasverynaiveabouttheAustralian
cultureanditsnuances.Overthe
years,I havehadtheprivilegeto
workwiththematmanyother
iconicAustraliancompanies,where
theytakethesesocietalnuances
andtellstoriesdifferentlytobuild
strongbrands.
Ivalueourworkingrelationship,
asit is onenotonlybuiltonhonesty
andmutualrespect,butalsotheir
abilitynottosweatthesmallstuffand
takelifetooseriously.I canhonestly
saythatmylifeasa Marketing
DirectorinAustraliawouldnothave
beenthesamewithoutthemandI
willalwaysbetrulygratefulforthe
honesty,integrityandfriendship that
has developed as a result.”JustinMilne,Chairman,
MYOB,non-executivedirector
atTabCorpandNBNCo
“I startedworkingwithRob
Belgiovaneinthelate‘70sandfound
himtobeprecociousandbrilliant.
A guywhosimplyhada tap-nerve
intohowAustraliawasthinking.Over
theyears,ourpathshavecrossed
andre-crossed,andwhenhejoined
forceswithPaulWilliamsandJamie
Mackay,I wasdelightedtobeable
toworkwithallofthem.BWM
producedsomeexcellentworkfor
OzEmailonanabsoluteshoestring
buttheOzE-Malecampaignwas
controversialandhugelysuccessful.
ThenI wenttoTelstraandthelads
cametoo.Thebudgetsweremuch
morehandsomebuttheirwork,
especiallywiththefamous“Great
WallofChina”spotwasfundamental
toBigPond’spopularityandsuccess.
Theyhavebecomeanabsolute
world-class outfit.”
TheCannes-winningProjectRevoice,whichproveswecanapply
ouradvertisingagencythinkingtocreatea medicalbreakthrough for
peoplewithALSisa sourceofgreatprideforme.
SellingtoPhotonandbuyingbackfromPhoton.
JoiningtheDentsuAegisNetwork.Weare100%alignedwithitsstrat-
egyforgrowthandcreativity.They’rerespectful,committedandgen-
erousculturally,whichbycomparisontothingsweheararoundother
networksmakesthispartnershiponeofourbiggestachievements.
Contemporaryindustryawardrecognitionisimportant.Itshows
howBWMDentsuhasevolvedandourUBXworkis atthevanguardof
ourindustry.In 2019 wewonNewYorkFestivalsRegionalAgencyof
theYear,AdFestDigitalAgencyoftheYear,TambuliAsiaPacificAgency
oftheYear;ranked9thintheWARCrankingsoftop 100 GlobalCreative
Agencies(and3rdinthetopAustralianandNewZealandAgencies).YouwereoncepartofEnero(thenPhoton)andbought
yourselvesbackintoindependence,whatimpactdidthat
wholejourneyhaveonyouaspartnersandasanagency?
Rob,PaulandJamie:Sellinganagencyisverydifferenttobuilding
one.Therearesomanynewconsultantsandadvisorswhenthereis an
M&Aonthetable,youareliterallysurroundedbysharks.Holdingcom-
paniesspecialiseinacquisitionandhavehugededicatedresources,but
asanindependentyouareluckytodooneinyourlifetime,sotheodds
reallyarestackedagainstyou.We’veseensomanyofourcontemporaries
burntbyM&Asthatseemedgreatatthetimebutultimatelywrecked
theircultureandbusiness,andresultedinverylittlemoneyattheend
ofthedeal.ThePhotonexperiencetaughtustheimportanceofensuring
cultural,strategicandfinancialgoalsbetweenbuyerandseller.This
soundsobviousbutit’seasytogetdistractedbythemoneyand holding
companies are experts at “dangling the golden carrot”.Theclientsdothetalking
How good are they?
In Conversation