MARSHALL FENN CHANGES OWNERSHIP, REORGANIZES
By Adnews Staff
Toronto advertising and public relations agency Marshall Fenn Ltd. is getting a makeover. Last Friday partner Michael Campbell handed in his resignation and walked away from the agency. This left partners Paul Chater and Jim Kabrajee in charge. An unnamed "leading marketing company in Toronto" has bought a majority ownership of the company to become a silent partner. Campbell, Chater and Kabrajee took over Marshall Fenn about a year ago in a management buyout. "During the past several months the company was heading in a direction that we believe would have created some problems," said Chater in a release issued yesterday. "We needed to make some changes in direction, recapitalize for the future and get back to our core business. While we are disappointed with Michael's departure, we concurred with his decision." Chater explained to Adnews that the change in direction means going back to core businesses: advertising, public relations and internet services. In April last year the company bought a 50% interest in the direct marketing and promotions company Tribco Ltd., which became a unit of Marshall Fenn. However, a short time later Marshall Fenn sold its share in Tribco back to PPL Marketing Services. In November creative director Richard Clewes left the firm, seven months after merging his Toronto agency with Marshall Fenn. Despite the organizational turmoil, the company says it did well on the new business front this summer, winning 13 of 15 pitches.