Creative agency Leith has hired Neil Williams as head of production.
Williams joins the Scotland shop from Manchester, U.K.-based Havas Lynx where he served as head of film for five years, heading up a team of 25 people across production, postproduction, 3D and live-streaming. His career began in postproduction in 2002, where he worked for six years on film and television campaigns for brands including Orange, Reebok, Adidas and AstraZeneca. Williams went on to hold the position of lead editor at WRG from 2008-2014, working on high-profile event and campaign content for a number of global clients including EE, Bohringer Ingleheim, Roche and the 2009 G20 summit based in London. He went on to found The Edit Studio; where he worked for three years from 2014-2017, on television ads and branded content for clients such as Cop18, BT, KFC and Sony PlayStation.
Williams’ background in production and postproduction has given him invaluable skills–enabling him to create great films, helping him to get the best from production teams, external partners and post. At Leith, Williams will oversee work for clients including IRN-BRU, The Scottish Government and The Royal Bank of Scotland, as well as the growing number of clients in the health sector.
Williams is the latest addition to a string of personnel moves at Scotland’s Leith over the past six months. John McPartland joined from Havas to take on the helm as creative director for all of Leith Health’s clients. Camilla Rossi left McCann London to be group account director at Leith, and Vic Milne was promoted to director of strategy and planning, replacing David Amers after 28 years in the position. In addition, Leith increased revenue in 2021 to £11.5 million (some $15 million U.S.), and grew its agency headcount to 131–a number which is expected to exceed 140 by the end of the year.
Williams’ appointment as head of production is a significant step in Leith’s growth as an agency. The department combines the team from production house Tanami, with Leith’s existing in-house production team, bolstering the remit of the agency. Williams, who will also join Leith’s board, has been tasked with rapidly expanding the agency’s production offering, in terms of capabilities and the headcount of the department.
Williams joins the agency on the back of some key new business wins including National Lottery, Worldwide Cancer Research, Scottish Salmon Company, Skills Development Scotland and L’Oreal.
In his new role, Williams will report to Richard Marsham, group managing partner of Leith. Marsham said that the hiring of Williams reflects a continuation of Leith being able “to attract top U.K. talent to the agency as we look to build on a successful last few years and continue to provide value to our clients through a strengthened production offering.”
Williams said, “I am really excited to join the growing team at Leith and take the production unit forward. Leith’s award winning creativity is well established and this now presents a huge opportunity for streamlined global content creation”
