Strategic creative agency, Southpaw, has elevated Claire Lambell, to the position of Deputy MD and David Ham to Interim MD, in a series of moves within the senior leadership team.
Lambell was previously Business Director and in her new position, she will report to interim MD, David Ham until the end of 2022.
Lambell, who joined the creative agency in 2009 and became part of the leadership team in 2020, will be tasked with defining the agency’s future to support continued success and growth on their existing clients and new business. This will include retaining and recruiting great talent and working with the leadership team in taking the integrated agency into its next evolution, helping challenger brands to punch above their weight by outmanoeuvring the competition.
Having worked on key accounts for Southpaw including Honda, Suzuki, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle and PZ Cussons. Lambell, has more recently led the successful growth of the global Brown-Forman Scotch portfolio and Chambord within the agency, establishing Southpaw as trusted partners, and will continue to be responsible for key relationships as well as continuing to lead the Honda business within Europe.
Southpaw are proud of the female / male ratio of talent in the agency, with 58% female employees. Southpaw offers flexible working and are particularly supportive of mums returning to the agency after having children. Lambell will be the first female MD since the agency was established.
Lambell said, “I am extremely lucky to have had the pleasure of working with so many talented Southpaw’s during my time at the agency and I am delighted and proud to have been recognised with my promotion to Deputy MD. Having been part of the agency for many years, I am looking forward to working with the wider leadership team in shaping our future to ensure years of continued growth and success.”
Ham, joined Southpaw in 2014 as Finance Director and is Executive Director alongside three Japanese Director’s from parent company Hakuhodo.
Ham said, “All the Executive Directors are excited with Claire’s promotion to Deputy MD. By the end of this year she will become the first woman to lead this Company – something to celebrate and a clear signal that progression is possible at Southpaw. Claire’s immediate focus will be to provide engaging leadership both to our clients and internally. By doing so she will help create the right conditions for great work to be produced, staff careers to thrive and new business to be won. We are confident she will contribute to generating commercial success. Drawing from my 25 years in the industry I am comfortable with change. I look forward to assisting her in this period of transition to MD.”
After 9 years of leading Southpaw, departing MD, Tom Poynter has decided to take the opportunity to find the next challenge and give someone else the chance to build their career at the agency.
Poynter said, “It has been an incredible 9 years of working at the agency and so much has been achieved by so many people in that time. I wish Claire every success in leading the agency into the future and I know she will do well.”
