Robert Senior
 | A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (June 2017) |
Robert Senior (born 5 December 1964; Middlesbrough, UK.[1]) is the CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi, a position he has held since January 2015.[2] Founded in 1970, Saatchi & Saatchi is one of the world’s leading advertising agencies, and part of Publicis Groupe, the world’s third largest communications group[3]
Schooling and early career
Senior was educated in Frankfurt, the Netherlands, and the UK and is a graduate of Durham University.[4]
Senior began his advertising career at BWBC & Co before moving to D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles (DMB&B) spending five years (1989-1994) working as an account director, predominantly on Procter & Gamble. Senior joined Simon’s Palmer, later to become part of TBWA Worldwide, where he served as a client services director from 1994-1998[5]
Executive career (1998-2014)
In 1998, Mr. Senior became a founding partner of Fallon London,[6] creating an agency that launched several noteworthy and award-winning campaigns including: “Balls” for Sony Bravia TVs[7] and Skoda "Cake Car".[8] Fallon London was named Campaign Magazine’s “Agency of the Year”.[9] in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Fallon London’s “Gorilla” commercial for Cadbury Dairy Milk[10] also was awarded Campaign’s “Campaign of the Year,” with the magazine citing the spot’s “impact on both the advertising industry and on the public imagination.” The commercial went on to win the Grand Prix award in film at the Cannes International Advertising Festival.[11]
Fallon London joined Publicis Groupe in 2006.[12] Senior was CEO, London, Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Group from August 2007 through December 2010. During that time, the agency’s “Life Is For Sharing”[13] T-Mobile campaign spot “Dance,” about a “flash mob” that transformed London’s Liverpool Street Station into a giant dance party,[14] was awarded the TV Commercial of the Year accolade at the British Television Advertising Awards[15] and generated nearly 150 million YouTube views.[16] From January 2011 through December 2014, Senior was CEO, EMEA, Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Group.[17]
CEO Worldwide (January 2015-present)
On 1 January 2015 Senior became CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi;[18] he also served as the Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi’s Worldwide Creative Board.[19] Senior is known for his belief in creative work as “the only currency I really believe in our business,”[20] and explained that in his new role he would divide his time between the UK and the U.S. while continuing to be based in London.
Senior is an investor in sporting brand Castore.[21]
Academic, charitable, and professional affiliations
Senior was Chairman of the Marketing Group of Great Britain 2015-2016.[22] He joined the Business Advisory Board of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in November 2014[23]
Senior is a regular media commentator on topics including media and the advertising industry and is a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post[24]
Personal life
Senior, a cyclist and former tri-athlete, qualified as a ski instructor in 1983.[25] He has taught in Austria, Switzerland, and France, and is a partner of an alpine property business in the French Alps.[26][27] Senior is married with three children.[28]
References
- ^ Tees Valley Birth Record Index, UK
- ^ Saatchi's New CEO Doesn’t Want to Pick Apart the Past But Robert Senior faces issues that date back years, Advertising Week (6 October, 2014)
- ^ Publicis Posts 32% Jump in First-Quarter Sales, The Wall Street Journal (21 April, 2015)
- ^ Robert Senior, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi EMEA and chairman, Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Group, The Guardian (7 July, 2011)
- ^ Robert Senior Bio, The Huffington Post (2014)
- ^ Twist Presents an Interview with Robert Senior: Global CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Twist, (18 September, 2014)
- ^ Sony Bravia Balls bounce in San Francisco, The Inspiration Room (27 October, 2005)
- ^ Skoda 'cake' ad tastes success, The Guardian (30 October, 2007)
- ^ Fallon scoops Campaign's Agency of the Year, Campaign UK (13 December, 2007)
- ^ Beating the drum: Cadbury gorilla is voted favourite TV ad for 2007, The Guardian (11 December, 2007)
- ^ Cannes: Gorilla bags the top Lion, The Guardian (23 June, 2008)
- ^ Publicis Aligns Fallon With Saatchi Under SSF Group, Advertising Age (1 August, 2007)
- ^ T-Mobile launches Royal Wedding spoof ad, Campaign UK (18 April, 2011)
- ^ Ad of the Day: AT&T Flash mobs don't always work out as planned, Advertising Week (20 May, 2011)
- ^ T-Mobile flashmob wins TV ad of year, The Guardian (11 March, 2010)
- ^ Life is for sharing, T-Mobile YouTube Channel (2009)
- ^ Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon names EMEA chief executive Robert Senior global CEO, Campaign Middle East (16 September, 2014)
- ^ Robert Senior promoted to CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon network, Campaign UK (16 September, 2014)
- ^ Saatchis' Senior to lead creative board Campaign UK (22 April, 2010)
- ^ Robert Senior Will Spend Half His Time in U.S. as Saatchi CEO, Advertising age (7 October, 2014)
- ^ "Castore has opened its first store on King's Road (and it's filled with an Andy Murray collection)". British GQ. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ A revolution in adland's most exclusive clubs, Campaign UK (26 September, 2013)
- ^ ATP Forms Business Advisory Board AT World Tour (November, 2014)
- ^ The Weird, Wonderful and Inspiring World of the Cannes Advertising Festival, The Huffington Post (25 June, 2014)
- ^ Robert Senior: Adland's golden boy banging the drum for Gordon, The Independent (17 December, 2007)
- ^ Mary Wilson on a restoration company hoping to protect Val d'Isère's older properties from being ruined by developers, The Financial Times (February, 2004)
- ^ On Top of the World, Campaign U.S. (10 October, 2014)
- ^ Property overseas: Skiers make tracks on the snow train, The Telegraph (25 October, 2008)