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Alan Bell appointed MD of The Hardy Boys

Alan Bell appointed MD of The Hardy Boys

Date: 2014-12-26

Alan Bell has been appointed Managing Director of leading Durban advertising agency, The Hardy Boys.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dale Tomlinson, made the announcement at a recent party at the agency's Riverhorse Valley headquarters to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

"Alan joined The Hardy Boys some four years ago in the role of Client Service Director after a career that included time at Unilever and Ogilvy," Tomlinson said.

"He very quickly added immense value throughout the business and has assisted enormously in the past year in bedding down the J Walter Thompson Company alignment."

Tomlinson was referring to the recent acquisitionof a majority stake in The Hardy Boys by The J Walter Thompson Company (JWT), the world's best known marketing communications brand. JWT is one of the key companies in the WPP Group and is headquartered in New York. It has more than 200 offices in over 90 countries and employs nearly 10 000 marketing professionals.

Responding to the announcement, Bell said: "This is a tremendously exciting time for The Hardy Boys and for our clients as we expand into new markets and disciplines. We are fortunate enough to attract some of the best talent in the region, and my primary role will be to assist Dale and (Chief Creative Officer) Geoff Paton in building an environment which empowers people and allows creativity to flourish. Great people create great work. And great work helps build great brands."

Bell received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of KwaZulu Natal and was recruited into Unilever's Management Development Program. After four years with the FMCG giant he crossed the floor to the world of advertising.

He moved quickly through the ranks at Ogilvy Cape Town and at the age of 29 was running the pan-African business of BP plc. His next move was within the Ogilvy Group, establishing the first African office of activation specialists OgilvyAction in Durban.

After ten years with Ogilvy, the appeal of a more entrepreneurial independent agency proved too strong and he joined The Hardy Boys.