Brian Child, the former CEO of McCann Manchester who was frequently touted as the most powerful ad figure outside London during his 25-year tenure at the Northern giant and its forbears, has passed away, seven years after he finally retired from his work at his own Brainchild Marketing – a company he established following his initial alleged retirement from McCann because he discovered “I had no concept of what to do with all that time that occurs between 8 to 8 everyday.”
Child began his career at 16 year-years-old, working in production for Portland Advertising. From there, he progressed to a role as account director at Royds, where he rose to board director. When Royds was sold to McCann, he became MD, and ultimately CEO in a glittering career ascendancy.
Under Child’s tenure, the agency grew to be the biggest outside London, with £100m turnover and 350 people based at its leafy Cheshire HQ, Bonis Hall. Branching out from Manchester, Child added the role of group chairman to his CV, overseeing offices in Belfast, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Windsor.
His final job for McCann was building the Momentum network in Europe, an experiential group that grew to having offices in 23 countries across Europe and Africa.
Following his departure from McCann in 2001, Child was rarely sedantary for long, with his own adventures with Brainchild combined with a trusteeship at Chester Zoo, a director’s role at European roadshow truck tour supplier Event Marketing Solutions, and a number of non-executive directorships keeping him busy.
Former Adline editor and Carnyx managing editor Tony Murray, now a Hong Kong-based journalist, paid tribute to his long-term colleague and former friend on LinkedIn, writing: “Brian maintained a statesmanlike separation from the ever-incestuous Manchester advertising scene. In terms of publicity, his focus was always on London. He had a strict hierarchy for releasing news of new account wins – Campaign, The Manchester Evening News and then the regional marketing press. As the editor of one of the C-list publications, it was occasionally infuriating, but I could understand the strategy.
“In person, Brian was always a pleasure, wry, sly and strategically insubordinate of his Northern rivals in particular, he always made for a worthwhile lunch. Of all the agency heads I met, he was also in the Top Two (along with James Faulds) when it came to working a room.
“Just as Brian’s ascendancy was the subject of much speculation, his Bonis exit, too, raised more than a few eyebrows. Was it Interpublic’s retirement policy (as was officially mooted) or was it more about buying off his successor, Sue Little, who, rumour had it, had been successfully wooed by Jim Faulds to head Fauld’s media division up in Edinburgh? Back then, the trade press was not the neutered beastie it is today, with impertinent queries actually making it into print.
“Whatever the truth of it (and no intrigue was ever subsequently confirmed), it was generally agreed that Brian had stepped down before his time. While he had a seemingly successful and lucrative afterlife consulting and non-executiving (as well as a number of McCann-related roles), Bonis was Brian in his pomp. And what a pomp it was.”
There were further tributes from former friends and colleagues too. Behaviours Agency CEO Sue Benson said: “Really sad news. Brian was a truly fabulous boss, a big supporter of female talent and an all round amazing man. He acted as our unpaid non exec for a while and genuinely pushed our thinking. I definitely owe a lot to him.”
IF. Agency chair Brian Rees added: “Worked closely with Brian when he (McCanns ) bought PDP and with his vision expanded Momentum. Brian was always so positive and loyal to his team and created a powerful but pragmatic reputation for NW Agencies to not only compete but lead the way.”
Gingerbread Man owner Christian James said : “Waking up to this news and very sad to say the least. My spell at McCanns in the 90’s was entirely down to Brian and his obvious passion for the business and the people around him. So many memorable trips up to the North East to face (and win) yet another Magnet kitchens pitch, talking last minute pitch tactics on the way up, and cricketing tactics on the way back. I absolutely loved spending time with him and learnt so much about both! He probably did more to put Manchester on the map than anyone else I know. RIP Brian Child.”
