Peter Craven
Madhouse founder and well-known figure in the Manchester advertising scene, Peter Craven has left the city agency after 16 years.
Craven, who is also city head of the Manchester Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), had been joint MD of the award-winning outfit based in Deansgate which he started with co-owner Phil Rogerson.
This afternoon he told Prolific North that the departure was amicable and that he was considering new options.
“I felt it was time to find a new challenge. At the moment I’m taking some time out which is something I haven’t had the chance to do for a long time.”
Asked about the Madhouse years, he said he’d created an agency to be proud of along with the work they produced.
“It’s got a good client list and I made lots of friends along the way,” he added.
Remaining MD Rogerson declined to comment on the reasons behind the split and instead issued Prolific North with the following statement this morning:
“After 16 years of running a successful business together, Pete has now left Madhouse and myself and the team wish him all the best for his future and Madhouse continues as business as usual. Stuart Hornby has been promoted to Client Services Director and Jeff Dillion is now Deputy Creative Director, servicing clients such as Toyota and DWF.”
Before starting Madhouse Craven worked in a senior brand management position at Schering-Plough UK, in the pharmaceutical sector, before moving to games manufacturer, Sony Psygnosis and has now set out as an independent consultant.
However his first job was rather different from the cut and thrust of agency life in the city as he revealed in an MEN interview a few years ago.
“I worked as a salesman selling sheep dip to farmers in Wiltshire. I regularly got told to ‘Get off my land!’ or chased by dogs. I’m not sure there’s a tougher job than cold calling farmers.”
It is not known whether Craven will continue as city head at the IPA. The organisation was said to be considering what would happen next as members had not yet been informed.
When he was appointed in 2013 he vowed “to continue to keep Manchester firmly on the creative map and delivering a future of firsts.”
