NEWS: Foote Cone Belding takes on ‘unknown’ to fill role of business development manager

Foote Cone Belding is putting its new-business effort in the hands of an

executive who has no experience of agencies and has never worked in the

UK.

David Roche, 27, a former jazz musician, has been appointed business

development manager only three months after coming to the UK and having

spent almost his entire working life in his native Ireland.

His brief, when he joins in January, will be to help the agency gain

entry to more pitch-lists as well as helping to win extra assignments

from existing clients.

‘It’s true, I’ve no agency experience which means I’ve no contacts,’

Roche admitted. ‘But I can look at the business with a fresh pair of

eyes, even if I have to make up the rules as I go along. It will

certainly encourage me to take a very experimental view of new

business.’

He added: ‘I come from a small company which had no heritage but was

successful. I’m joining one with a great heritage and a rising

reputation.’

Roche, who had talks with several other UK shops, including M&C Saatchi,

before signing for FCB, will report to Chris Rendel, the agency’s

managing director, and its chairman, Robert Hamer.

Rendel said: ‘David may have an unconventional background, but he has a

philosophy which entirely complements our own.’

Roche set up his own music-related business three years ago while

reading for a maths and English degree at Trinity College, Dublin. He

later moved into corporate events and marketing and won an assignment to

handle a below-the-line campaign for Guinness in Ireland.

‘FCB seems to have taken the lead in throwing out the over-cautiousness

many agencies seem to have when it comes to hiring an outsider,’ he

said.

This article was first published on Campaign