SYDNEY: The ad industry is mourning the loss of Michael Magnus,
co-founder of Magnus Nankervis & Curl, who passed away last week aged 62.
Magnus Nankervis & Curl was one of the most celebrated Australian
agencies in the 1980s, prior to its sale to Foote Cone & Belding in
the 1990s. It was awarded AdNews Agency of the Year in 1988.
"Michael was an extraordinary guy – apart from the fact that he
started his own agency at the age of 32, he was also a phenomenal
optimist – always ebullient, energetic and charismatic," said Colin
Wilson Brown, founder of The Clinic.
Wilson Brown joined MNC in 1979 when the agency was just three years old.
"He never looked back – he wasn't interested in recriminations, he was
always just looking for where the next idea was coming from. He was a
great entrepreneur and a great enthusiast."
Magnus left the advertising industry upon the sale of MNC to FCB to
develop other business ideas and follow his passion as a benefactor to
the arts.
He began his career by launching a promotions company called Anything
Under The Sun in Sydney before teaming up with creatives John
Nankervis and Ted Curl to start MNC in 1977. Early clients included
Luna Park, Thai Airways, Esso and IBM.
Michael's nephew Noel Magnus follows in his footsteps in advertising,
recently joining JWT as CEO from FCB.
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