LONDON — BCW has restructured its consumer marketing leadership in the UK as part of its plans to double down on creativity within the agency.

Tom Malcolm has been promoted to group managing director of consumer and head of transformation UK. Malcolm, currently head of brand and partnerships at the agency, rejoined BCW last year after spending two years out of the industry building a new family business in Cornwall; he was Cohn & Wolfe’s UK MD of consumer marketing from 2016 to 2018.

In his new role, Malcolm (pictured, centre) will be responsible for overseeing further growth of the 25-strong consumer marketing practice. As the first UK head of transformation, he will also drive the agency’s three year plan to invest in creativity and innovation and lead a transformation board.

Malcolm told PRovoke Media: “One of the things we’ve been looking at in our transformation journey is transformation in terms of becoming a creative business. Our young, growing consumer team has become a real creative hothouse and we can offer that at scale. My heritage is in consumer marketing and the opportunity to lead such a strong bench, and expand work for existing clients and new business, is really exciting.”

In addition, senior directors Paola Nicolaides (pictured, right) and Lee Waite (left) step up to become co-deputy managing directors of the consumer marketing practice.

The restructure follows the exit of consumer marketing managing director Ed Green – former MD of Mission – who will leave the business this summer after three years. His next move is not yet known. In a LinkedIn post, Green said: “What a brilliant chapter this has been. Great working with BCW Global setting the trajectory of its consumer team since its merger three years ago. A fantastic bunch of people, so many client wins and together we delivered award-winning work that made a difference to many.”

Under the new structure, Nicolaides and Waite will report to Malcolm and will take on day-to-day leadership of the BCW UK consumer marketing team, whose creative work includes multiple award wins and nominations for clients including Aldi and Unilever.

Nicolaides joined BCW as a director in 2017, having previously worked at Havas and Freuds, and has led on UK consumer clients including growing the Unilever Dove account. Waite joined BCW in 2020 after stints at agencies including Octopus Group.

BCW UK chief executive Rebecca Grant said: “We’ve made creativity and innovation, with a growth-mindset culture, the cornerstones of our business, and our new leadership roles and board responsibilities reflect this commitment.  Tom is perfectly placed to take on this new role as the first of Head of Transformation in the UK. He brings a blend of expertise that marries both creative and commercial, and I‘m to be working even more closely with him in his new role.

“Furthermore, Lee and Paola’s promotions reflect their enormous talent and the complementary contributions they’ve made to a Consumer business that continues to reach new heights,” Grant continued. “Paola’s hallmark is the strong relationships she builds with clients and team, whilst Lee has an entrepreneurial spirit that continues to amaze.  I’m excited for our potential with Tom, Paola and Lee at the helm.  Together they will be unstoppable.”