Paul Davey, an influential Australian advertising industry figure known for his good humour and admired for the global deals he magicked, has died. His 58th birthday was earlier this month.
Friends say Davey will always be known as the man who, over drinks and dinner, secured the global McDonald’s business for OMD.
“It was probably the first of such global deals that have become common in our industry,” says Doug Pearce, a close friend, former colleague and CEO of Doohken Network. “He loved the McDonald’s business and was very close to and respected by their top global management.”
Davey was a former CEO of Omnicom Media Group Australia and New Zealand, Aegis Media Pacific's managing director of media, a managing director at Mitchell Communication Group, and national media director at DDB Australia.
More recently he lived in Chicago and worked as a senior relationship consultant at OMD.
He grew up in Melbourne, going to Norwood High School where he was school captain. He then studied dance and drama at Rusden State College before finding advertising.
He started at USP Needham in the 1980s. There he met Doug Pearce.
“Paul and I started in advertising within a few months of each other and, despite times when we were in different countries, we’ve been great friends for nearly 40 years,” says Pearce.
“Paul was a wonderfully loyal friend and a very funny man who always made me laugh and smile.
“He’d turn any dark moment into a light-hearted one. Paul was direct and spoke his mind but always ended with his cheeky smile which made you forget whatever he had said.”
Early in his career he took his young family to live in the US, at a town called Walnut Creek in California, for seven years. His daughters, Sarah and Eliza, loved it.
“He liked to travel and we did a lot of road trips when we were younger around the States,“ says Sarah.
“We still have a lot of friends there. And he went to visit them often when he lived in Chicago.”
Davey was the original boss of OMG Australia and New Zealand, after coming back from the US to consolidate the media brands.
He was tight with Charlie Bell, the global CEO of McDonald’s, a relationship which helped him pick up the account worldwide.
“He was a terrific person, launched OMG in a new region with courage, determination and great humor,” says Peter Horgan, the current CEO - Australia and New Zealand. “I remember him very fondly, and will miss him greatly.”
Kenny Stewart, now Group Managing Director at OMD in Melbourne, worked with Davey at Mitchell Communication.
Stewart remembers Davey always replying, when asked how he was: "Fat and happy."
And he was. "He was always a happy, gregarious soul, no matter the pressure or challenge," says Stewart.
"He was always huge fun to be around with his wicked, if at times, irreverent humour constantly on display.
"He was always very supportive and would do his utmost to ensure that any political or obstructive obstacles were cleared for his teams to deliver great service."
Anthony Charles first met Davey in 2009 when he joined Mitchell Communication Group. He was brought on board in a senior executive role to review structure and operations within what was a rapidly expanding group.
In mid 2009 Davey was promoted to Managing Director – Media, assuming national responsibility for media agencies operations and profit.
In 2010 Mitchell Communication Group was acquired by Aegis Media. Following completion of the acquisition Davey assumed responsibility for the media division (Carat, Mitchell and Partners, Vizeum and MPG).
"From a professional perspective Paul had an extraordinary knowledge of how the media industry works and great relationships with all those that made it work," says Charles.
"He was passionate about sharing these, knowing this would help his teams to develop and the business to grow. It was his leadership style – he was open, honest and always supportive. Simple and effective. It grew loyalty and created an environment where good people wanted to be where success and performance just followed
"In personal life he was no different. He was a great friend - I’ll miss him."
John Steedman, interim CEO of WPP AUNZ, knew Davey since his days in Melbourne and always found him to be down to earth, with a good sense of humour and always great to be around.
“This is very sad news indeed,” says Steedman said. “I would like to extend my condolences to Paul’s family and friends.”
Greg Graham, a pitch doctor and founder of The Nest Consultancy, says Davey was always passionate about the business and his clients.
“I always remember his absolute devotion to Maccas,” says Graham.
‘He absolutely lived and breathed the McDonald’s business. It was inspiring to see and that passion for the client paid off with his worldwide adventures and client accolades.
“A loss to the ad industry that will now miss another colourful character.”
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