Hargreaves will lead the US business of around 100 staff when he moves in February. The plan has emerged just weeks after Hargreaves secured the sought-after Facebook UK brief for Bite following a fiercely contested pitch (PRWeek, 19 October).
‘It is likely the new UK MD will be externally app-ointed, although we are ruling nothing out,’ said Bite global CEO Clive Armitage. ‘When David joined Bite he made it clear that moving to Silicon Valley was something he would like to do at some point in his career.’
Hargreaves’ move was instigated by Armitage, who has been in the US since 2003 but will head to London next summer.
Armitage this week laid out ambitious growth plans for the agency, which has just under 200 staff globally. He said he wants 300 staff within the next three years, and revealed the agency is to open a Los Angeles office early next year.
‘Hopefully, high-calibre people in the industry will think Bite is an attractive proposition,’ said Armitage. ‘Our client list includes Apple, Samsung, Sage, Cisco and Facebook.’
Armitage added that he was keen to maintain Bite’s policy of conducting research into the factors influencing target audiences.
Hargreaves joined Bite two years ago when the firm acquired his agency Credo. He started Credo in 2003, after quitting Firefly Communications, where he was deputy MD.
Hargreaves will remain on Bite’s ‘global executive leadership team’ alongside the new UK MD, when that person is appointed.
Armitage said that he was glad Bite could offer a fresh challenge to Hargreaves because ‘if you don’t offer talented people new challenges they will leave’.
