Ex-Edelman Leader Joins W Communications As MD

(MENAFN- PRovoke) LONDON - W Communications has named Matt Brown as its new managing director, as the independent agency gears up for its next phase of growth.

Brown (pictured) joins W after six years at Edelman, latterly as vice chair of brand for EMEA, where he worked with clients on integrated brand transformation and produced Cannes Lions award-winning work. He left the agency last August.

Before that, he was a managing partner and on the board of earned-first advertising agency The Brooklyn Brothers for eight years, which he helped to build until its sale to IPG agency Golin in 2016 as part of a £35m deal.

Across his advertising, digital and brand communications career, Brown has worked with clients including Jaguar Land Rover, Apple, Diageo, IKEA, Mini and Virgin.

The appointment comes at a pivotal time for W Communications, and on the back of it becoming an employee-owned trust (EOT) in July last year. Brown will report to founder Warren Johnson, who moved back into the CEO role last year after the departure of Frankie Cory .

In his new role, Brown will focus on existing client relationships, and overseeing new integrated briefs, creating more award-winning work and ensuring clients have access to the agency's in-house capabilities.

On why he decided to make the move to W, Brown told PRovoke Media:“I love the intimacy of a boutique agency, so it feels really familiar. Warren is the most amazing person, he's the first true entrepreneur I've met. His way of doing business and how he approaches challenges is so interesting and refreshing. The speed, agility and flexibility of the agency, and how we can try new ideas and make stuff happen, was seductive.”

He said he was confident he and Johnson would work well together:“My personal mantra in an agency environment is that to build the trust, respect and confidence of the team and clients, you have to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. Warren gets stuck in – we have the same point of view, and share an understanding that we will both do whatever it takes. That's a foundation for a good collaborative, open relationship.”

The agency has recently increased its creative content creation capabilities, including developing above-the-line ad campaigns, as well as celebrity and influencer activity, alongside earned SEO, PPC advertising and product branding.

Brown outlined his priorities as MD:“I've come into a business that has been growing and has won loads of new clients over recent weeks and months. My main focus is to continue to build out the W business, we have a really great influencer, social and talent offering and I want to make that something in its own right, and part of every client we work with. I'm also getting stuck into B2B and corporate with our W Enterprise offer. This year is going to be about building new products, tools and offerings, with fresh perspectives and new partners.

“There's also the team – we have a great group of people and I want to make sure they feel valued, and feel they can grow and have an amazing career here.”

Brown said he had“fire in his belly” about 2025:“I know we're not all having the best time of it, 2024 was a tough market, but I think that means you have to create your own opportunity. I don't want to be naïve – things will keep changing – but every time I get thrown a curveball I have to look at how we turn it into something positive, and I'm excited because I can't think of a better group of people to do that with. We're not going to let 2025 get us down.”

On his new hire, Johnson said:“The communications landscape is changing at lightning speed and W has already been innovating at pace – in particular ramping up our in-house specialisms. We have big ambitions for the future, and Matt's unique fusion of expertise is perfectly aligned with what we want to achieve. I can't wait to see what we can do together in 2025 and beyond.”

MENAFN21012025000219011063ID1109110805