John Heales

Client Services/New Business Director

Affectionately known as the Old Man of the Agency, I started my career in 1964 at Masius & Ferguson - as a television airtime buying records clerk - working on Colgate Palmolive. After a 4-year stint and after promotion to television time buyer working on Weetabix and Brolac Paints, I was poached by Ogilvy & Mather to work as a television buying supervisor.

To gain experience on the other side of the fence I joined LWT where I worked for 2 years. But agency life proved too strong a pull, so I re-joined Ogilvy's and over a 4 year period won the Gillette TV Buyer of the Year award 3 times.

Extension of my media knowledge came via a move to McCann Erickson where I was employed as a Media Supervisor - working on Martini, Nestle & Lloyds Bank.

Later, I was recruited by Young & Rubicam, and was promoted to the main board as Group Media Director following my contribution to the successful global pitch for UIP - the, then largest motion picture distributor in the world. I ran this account for 12 years.

But in 1988, health problems intervened and I was advised to give up the daily commute to Camden Town. On learning of this, the Chairman of Rathbone Media offered me the position of Planning Director.