Iris SG names new managing director, launches Future Strategy

Iris Singapore has appointed Andy Cairns as the new managing director. Cairns (pictured left) last helmed the role of managing director at M&C Saatchi Australia. In his new role, Cairns will report to Steve Bell, Iris' Europe CEO.  

According to his LinkedIn, in his previous role with M&C Saatchi, Cairns was hired with a mandate to transform the agency’s performance (creative product, operations, people and culture) and lay the foundations for the return to profitability. He served the agency for two years, and brought onboard new account wins such as Lexus, Puma, Dan Murphy’s, Plush Sofas and Ned’s Whisky. Prior to that, he was on a one year sabbatical. Previously, Cairns was with Havas Worldwide as the global brands director. Based in London, he reported into the global CEO. Cairns led the global client franchise RB, formerly Reckitt Benckiser, with a portfolio comprising brands Neurofen, Dettol, Vanish, Durex and Scholl.

In his 19 years of experience, Cairns has worked with BBH, FCB Inferno, TBWA\ London and Clemenger BBDO. With BBH, he was the strategic business lead and was responsible for the Barclay’s and Virgin Media accounts. Meanwhile, he was a managing director at Inferno for four years prior to that.

In a press statement, Cairns said he has always admired the way Iris refuses to conform to the labels most agencies use to define themselves, and that the agency embodies all that is progressive within the industry and has been delivering impactful ideas for forward-thinking clients for some 20 years now. "The breadth and quality of the work is refreshing and I’m looking forward to contributing to the success the team is already delivering," he added.  

With his appointment, managing director Sorcha John will head up Iris Future Strategy in APAC.

Future Strategy is a new global, strategic discipline focused on navigating the "long-term transformational shifts" that will impact and "enable businesses to thrive in a rapidly changing world". Iris Future Strategy aims to combine deep foresight, strategic modelling, speculative design and creativity as tools to accelerate the delivery of long-term competitiveness. John (pictured right) will report to Ben Essen, global chief strategy officer. John has been with the agency since 2010, and took on the MD role in 2017. 

Meanwhile, APAC regional CEO, Luke Nathans, said the agency believes that standing still is about the most dangerous thing that a business can do. In 2020, he added that the agency has seen a huge amount of change and disruption in the world, and stressed the importance of having the right people and skill sets to help clients navigate these dynamic times.

"Cairns is a fantastic guy and a very experienced leader. Having Cairns join us reflects our continued focus on delivering world-class solutions for our people and our clients, regardless of discipline, bias or boundaries. John has a razor-sharp understanding of what modern businesses and brands need to succeed. This next evolution in her career, is testament to her progressive, forward-thinking approach to the industry and her ongoing success at Iris,” Nathans said.