So, as guessed by Brownmann in the pub ages ago, Ed Morris is going to step down at Lowe London in early 2009 when his contract would allow him to.
Apparently Morris has agreed to a new set of contractual terms, which will see him work for the agency in a consultancy capacity. In the new role, he will work for Lowe on a yet-to-be-arranged number of projects, which will include COI and John Lewis, should the agency retain the latter account.
All this sounds a bit too many ifs and maybes as he will have a new, as-yet-undefined job title and will help the agency in its search for a replacement creative director to take over his day-to-day responsibilities.
Bizarre if you ask me. Not many people that sort of job now do they? Ed wants to be able to do something else in life that do not involve a pad and pen. As he intends to pursue other creative projects. He plans to direct ads, take on non-executive roles at creative companies and pursue personal projects.
I think all of this I feel spells bad news for the John Lewis pitch, whom without a leader to turn to, may move away from this renowned agency.
Looking at this from Ed's perspective, if you lose Nokia Nseries, Stella, Innocent and Twinings, not to mention their chief executive, Amanda Walsh, and requiring a replacement for Steve Gatfield, the Lowe Worldwide chief executive, who will step down from the role in April. He must have felt the world has imploded and now is a good time to move on.
I wish him all the best for whatever he wants to do.