The appointment of Fran Luckin as chief creative officer of VML signals the agency’s “intent to be a creative powerhouse in South Africa”. She takes on the role on 1 February 2024.
VML was formed in October, uniting two of the most awarded creative agencies in the world: VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson. Luckin’s appointment is the first South African leadership appointment to be announced.
Miles Murphy and Jarred Cinman (South African CEOs of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R, respectively) said: “Fran is an amazing combination of a world-class creative leader and also a person who cares deeply about all the people in the business who help create great work. VML will drive the next generation of creativity in South Africa, and Fran is the absolute right person to lead this change.”
Luckin studied speech and drama at university but was saved from a life spent as “Second Extra From the Left” by moving into advertising. In 2008, she became the executive creative director of Ogilvy Johannesburg. Later that year, Ogilvy Johannesburg became the number one ranked South African agency at Cannes Lions.
Grow and learn
A year later, it was ranked the number one agency in Ogilvy Worldwide at Cannes Lions. In 2010, the company won South Africa’s first Film Gold Lion in 11 years. After two years at Quirk South Africa, where the agency won its first Loerie awards and its first Cannes shortlist, Luckin joined Grey in 2016. A year later, the agency won its first Gold Lion at Cannes. She helped move Grey to be number 3 in the South African Creative Rankings.
While winning awards is always a great recognition for an agency’s hard work and passion, Luckin derives the most joy from seeing people grow, and learn, and achieve things they might not have thought possible. In 2022, she was named Industry Leader of the Year at the AdFocus Awards. She has an MBA from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership and is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning.
‘Tremendous impact’
“I’m super excited to lead VML’s creative team in South Africa. Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R have hugely complementary creative skill sets matched with brilliant talent. Together as VML, we’ll be unstoppable!” said Luckin.
Tebogo Skwambane, WPP’s country manager for South Africa, said Luckin has had a “tremendous impact on the creative success of WPP agencies over the years. This is the right leadership role for Fran, and it shows our commitment to creative transformation for our clients and our people”.
Global CCO Innovation and EMEA CCO for VML Bas Korsten, added, “We couldn’t be happier to have Fran at the helm of the new VML. She’s such an accomplished, versatile, and talented creative leader who is highly respected in South Africa and well beyond. Next to being someone who really fits our open, creative culture. Fran coming on board is a testament to the big creative ambition that we have at VML. So, watch this space!”
