The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Part coach.
Part councillor.
Part cat-litter tray.
Part umpire/judge/hitman/shoulder-to-cry-on.

But of all the things the job entails, I’ve always believed the main objective of any ‘head of department’ is their job is to help ensure when their people leave – which they always will do – they’re going to a better job/position than they imagined they’d ever get.

Not just because it’s available, but because the company in question specifically wanted them.

I should point out this is not because you should – or want – to take any credit for their achievements, but because your job is literally to help them elevate the talent they already have inside of them.

And generally, that’s worked out to be the case and I bloody love that fact.

Except at Colenso. Because frankly, so few of the team have left.

God, that’s just tempted fate hasn’t it? Damnit.

And while we’ve added considerably to the team, the vast majority are the same lunatics that were there when I walked into the place 3+ years ago.

Which probably helps explain how the ‘unique’ character and identity of the mob has evolved and developed.

But today, we see the 3rd person leave us – someone special to the team and to Colenso as a whole – the one and only, Amy Pollok.

Amy has been at Colenso for a long time.

And in that time she has gone from junior account person to planning director … winning everything from Grand Effie’s to Cannes Grand Prix’s for her work for Skinny, to name but one.

But as brilliant as that is, she has also gracefully dealt with getting over a pretty serious bike accident, becoming a fantastic Mum and dealing with the mischievous bullshit of her colleagues and pals.

While the gang at Colenso is blessed with smart, talented, creative characters – Amy is definitely one of its pillars.

Intelligent. Considerate. Never short of an opinion or a challenge. Just how I like people.

But the time has come for her to go on an adventure …

See what she is capable of being and becoming.

And while that’s bitter sweet, we’re all very excited for her … no one more than me.

So I want to use this post to say thank you.

Thank you for who you are.
Thank you for all you’ve done.
Thank you for your incredible Effie paper writing skills.
Thank you for your support, commitment and friendship to colleagues, clients and Colenso.
Thank you for forgetting to delete the slightly dodgy photo of you on Google so I could use it for this post given you managed to avoid all my instagram terrorism attempts for 3 years.
Thank you for putting up with me … especially when I made your salary end in weird, odd numbers to test a theory [which was correct, even though it pissed the finance team off]

In all seriousness, your new colleagues and clients at FCB are very lucky to have you and while you are technically now ‘a competitor’, you’re always going to be our respected and revered friend, as demonstrated by the fact we’ve got you literally the most thoughtful and personal leaving gift I’ve ever seen in 30 odd years of working in this industry.

And I’m not even being sarcastic. Who the fuck am I?

So go be brilliant Amy and have a shitload of fun.

See who you are and more importantly, who you can be.