'NEW' MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR CREATIVE AGENCY THE OVAL OFFICE NL

The agency, with offices in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, and Paris, welcomed a 'new' Managing Director in the Netherlands on December 18. Bart van Wanrooij, former Director Global Brand Management at staffing giant Randstad, returns to agency side after 3 years. And remarkably, to his former employer. 

With the departure of Managing Director Nicolette Vink, who led the experience-driven agency for the past 2 years, there was an opportunity for a new MD profile that seamlessly aligns with the European ambitions of the agency. The current clients of The Oval Office all have an international character or operate in an ever growing international context. To be able to serve clients in more European countries in the future, in addition to the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, international development will be continued in the coming years. This strategy called for a Managing Director with strong national and international experience.

Bart has been the Director of Global Brand Management for Randstad in recent years. Here, he established and anchored the 'brand strategy & experience' department in the organization. In addition to developing a new brand strategy and corresponding visual identity, he also created the first global campaign in 39 countries. Bart also has a proven track record in a wide range of topics in B2E, B2C, and B2B. He previously worked on agency side at Publicis Groupe and, notably, for almost 4 years as Managing Director of The Oval Office.

"I am very much looking forward to getting back to work at The Oval Office, which by now has grown into a solid European organization. Back to the future! Over the past years, I have worked with many different countries and cultures. I can take that fantastic experience and put it to work in the brand strategies and experiences we develop with our clients, but also in further strengthening The Oval Office as a marketing communication partner that looks beyond borders. The return to the agency side may be remarkable, but for me, it is the right choice. I wanted to have creativity back at the heart of my work. In the unique dynamics that a creative agency like The Oval Office has to offer, this will definitely work out," says Van Wanrooij.

Wouter Boits, founder and CEO of The Oval Office, is pleased with Bart's return:

"It was with a lot of regret that I saw Bart leave for Randstad a few years ago. Of course, I fully understood his decision; it was a very nice position and a challenging one that would bring him a lot professionally. I am therefore very happy that Bart is returning with all the baggage he has gained at the corporate level. I am convinced that Bart will now be able to build communication that truly connects with even more empathy for our clients. "For real."

Bart started on December 18 and, in addition to leading the Dutch organization, will also join the European Board of Directors to contribute to the further international growth of the agency.