Declan Kelly, the deputy MD of Zenith is leaving the Core-run agency to head up a new digital marketing agency in Ireland called MWI. He will start his new role in September, having been with Zenith since 2005.
The new business is being established by the UK based Mediaworks UK which has offices in Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds and Edinburgh and has over 150 staff. Not to be confused with Mediaworks, which is a Core-owned agency brand, Mediaworks UK was founded 15 years ago business by Brett Jacobson. According to Jacobson: “Launching international operations for Mediaworks UK has been long in the planning and in line with our client reach and ambition. We’re excited beyond words to be launching MWI. We’ve long seen Dublin as our most natural, culturally aligned first step outside of the UK. We predict brands in the Irish market view this as an opportunity to own their digital marketplace and amplify the export of their products and services with forward-facing digital strategies. In Declan, we’ve found a partner who not only matches our successful client-centric approach but is also someone completely in tune with our culture, spirit and ambition. The eyes of the digital world have been on Ireland for some time with high profile bases being established by some of the globe’s biggest organisations. This hasn’t yet resulted in Irish businesses reaping the benefits. They’re our focus. We’re here to help them own their digital futures.”
MWI marks the first physical space outside of the UK for the 15-year-old award-winning agency. “This opportunity to be part of a high growth, future-facing organisation was a huge attraction. Mediaworks UK has partnered some of the biggest brands and driven their digital growth, and their expansion into Ireland presents an exciting new opportunity for me,” says Declan Kelly.
“MWI will be bringing Mediaworks UK’s peerless ability to deliver strategic and creative digital solutions through data-led insights and technology to Ireland. This is an enormous opportunity to create a truly innovative and transformational digital agency, with hands-on experts – it’s something the Irish market is crying out for,” he says.
One of the most experienced media practitioners in Ireland, Kelly has worked with a wide range of clients including IDA Ireland, Red Bull, The AA, League of Credit Unions, Dalata Hotel Group, PhoneWatch, Dublin Zoo, Circle K, Perrigo and Griffith College. He has gained industry recognition by delivering award-winning effectiveness campaigns for the likes of PhoneWatch, Barnardos, Health & Safety Authority and Aer Lingus, as well as picking up the Media Award’s Grand Prix for his work for the charity, Alone.
“I’ve looked closely at the work Mediaworks UK has been producing for clients across a number of sectors, including retail, housing, finance, health and utilities. Their ability to understand the digital landscape and transform that into measurably successful results for its clients is compelling. I am really excited to open the doors to this expertise to the Irish market. The depth of skill, talent and expertise available to us from their sites in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester will make the difference to clients’ businesses. I’ll be looking hard for the best Irish talent to join me at MWI here in Dublin in the coming weeks,” Kelly adds.
