Global Chief Creative Officer of Cheil Worldwide, Malcolm Poynton, is stepping down after a decade with the agency.

Poynton, who became Cheil Worldwide’s first Global Chief Creative Officer in December 2014, was tasked with transforming the company into one of the world’s leading creative networks.

During his tenure, Poynton led Cheil to significant milestones, including being named WARC’s No. 1 Independent Network in 2021 and earning multiple Agency of the Year accolades. He now plans to focus on opportunities closer to home.

Before joining Cheil, Poynton held roles such as Chief Creative Officer at SapientNitro Europe, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy UK, and Executive Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney.

A spokesperson for Cheil Worldwide commented: “Malcolm’s creative leadership has kept Cheil’s creative product ahead of new trends while he’s also fostered collaboration to get the best out of talent, with an ability to do so across cultures. We thank Malcolm for his contribution as GCCO over the past 10 years and wish him continued success in the future.”

Reflecting on his time at the agency, Poynton said:
“We’ve packed a lot into the past 10 years; there are too many incredible people to thank for their dedication that’s helped make Cheil the creative network it is today. I’m now looking forward to diving into the next challenge.”

Under his leadership, Cheil Worldwide received more than 600 global and regional awards, including a Cannes Grand Prix, The One Show Best of Discipline, Clio Health Grand, Super Clio, and numerous honours at D&AD, Spikes, Dubai Lynx, El Ojo, and the Effies.