LONDON, UK — Creative agency BMB has appointed Laurent Simon as its new Chief Creative Officer. He succeeds Matt Lever, former CCO, who left BMB at the end of last year.
Laurent brings nearly two decades of experience and a stellar track record of creativity to BMB. He will be responsible for leading the agency’s creative output, with oversight of their full portfolio of clients, which includes Samsung, Rana, Farrow & Ball, Kerry Dairy, FREE NOW, Bonne Maman, Breast Cancer Now, and The LTA.
Most recently, Laurent was Chief Creative Officer at VMLY&R London, where he spearheaded a transformative shift in the agency’s creative culture and output over his four-year tenure. Notably, he was the creative force behind Boots’ hugely successful Christmas campaigns during this time, as well as driving impactful work for Stamma, the British Stammering Association.
He began his career at the renowned Watford Ad School before becoming part of the first creative duo at AMV BBDO alongside his partner Aidan McClure. Laurent and Aidan went on to join adam&eveDDB, where they quickly rose to success, creating the award-winning “Who Killed Deon” campaign for the Metropolitan Police as well as iconic work for John Lewis, including the “Bear & The Hare” Christmas campaign and “The Other Half.”
Joining BBC creative as its Executive Creative Director in 2016 marked a new chapter in Laurent’s career – he secured the first-ever Gold Lion at Cannes and first D&AD Pencils for BBC Creative, underscoring his ability to create groundbreaking work.
Other awards over his career include accolades at the One Show, British Arrows, Creative Circle, LIA, Campaign Bigs, Clios, Eurobest, and Epica.
Jason Cobbold, Chief Executive Officer at BMB, said, “When we first met with Laurent, he felt like a very natural fit for BMB. We’re now thrilled to welcome him as our creative leader. Laurent has some of the best creative credentials in our industry, but his excitement about where next marks him out. In Laurent, we have someone who will drive our work to new heights, ask new questions of us, and share our ambition to grow. We can’t wait to get started.”
Laurent commented, “I had the most amazing time off, enjoying things I’d never done before or hadn’t done in years. So, when I had to think about where next and with whom, I knew early on that Jason and his crew would be an amazing new home. I am excited beyond belief about the possibilities and ready to create some fantastic work with everyone.”
As BMB heads into its 20th year in 2025, the appointment further evidences the agency’s commitment to future growth following the recent hire of Flora Joll as Head of Strategy and the promotion of Matt Bonny to Head of Growth.
