Imagination Detroit Announces New Managing Director
Tim Stafford promoted to Managing Director, Imagination Detroit
Paul Cowan promoted to Business and Strategy Director leading global Ford teams.
Detroit, June 5th, 2023: Award-winning experience design company, Imagination, today announces the promotion of Tim Stafford to Managing Director, Detroit. Tim, currently Director of Live Communications for Imagination Detroit, will take up the role from September 1, 2023.
Tim joined Imagination in the UK in 2016, as Lead Creative Producer for the Ford account in London, before transferring to Detroit in 2019 to take on the role of Director of Live Communications. In Detroit, he has worked closely with Alistair on developing a world-class client relationship with Ford and driving continued growth and diversification across the business. Since 2020, Imagination Detroit has won over 35 industry awards, including coveted Sabre, Effie, PR Week and Clio awards.
Tim takes over from Alistair Wilson who, after over 5 years successfully leading Imagination Detroit and the agency’s relationship with Ford Motor Company globally, has chosen to return to Australia. Alistair will step into the newly created role of Managing Director, Imagination Melbourne - re-joining the Melbourne office that he helped originally establish more than 12 years ago.
To further strengthen its global relationship with Ford, Imagination is also announcing that Paul Cowan, Business Director Ford of Europe, Imagination London has been promoted to Business and Strategy Director of the Ford account. segments: of London, Paul will lead Imagination’s global Ford teams by bringing together expertise from across the network to serve Ford’s newly formed customer focused business segments; Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro. Imagination plans to build on its track record of delivering creative excellence to help the automaker execute on its ambitious Ford+ plan to lead the new era of connected and electric vehicles.
Tim Stafford, Managing Director, Detroit comments, “Our team has built real momentum under Alistair’s leadership in creating groundbreaking and award-winning creative experiences that deliver tangible business results. I’m excited to take the helm, build upon this legacy and lead a powerhouse team to further accelerate Ford’s transformation and the growth of the Imagination brand in America.”
Paul Cowan, Business and Strategy Director Ford of Europe, comments, “Imagination’s work with Ford has evolved and re-invented itself many times throughout our longstanding relationship. This is by far the most important moment as Ford ‘refounds’ itself through the Ford+ plan globally. We have responded by taking the opportunity to re-organize ourselves to ensure we give Ford and its new business segments the very best of Imagination everywhere, so we can best support its transformation. I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead those efforts.”
Patrick Reid, Group CEO, comments, “With these changes, we are ensuring our clients have greater access to our global depth of skills and experience by working across geographies in a more nimble, cohesive, and joined up way, based on changing client needs. Tim was a clear choice to take on this role at this pivotal moment for Ford. He is an accomplished creative talent and leader, who in partnership with Paul Cowan, will offer a wealth of experience, creativity, innovative thinking and passion to support the future success of Ford.
I would also like to thank Alistair who, now in his 25th year with Imagination, has helped champion the growth and success of the company around the world in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. We are very proud of his contribution to Imagination and Ford and are delighted that he is rejoining our Melbourne team. His experience and leadership skills will be pivotal in continuing to support Ford in the region and helping grow the Imagination Australia business.”
For more information, please contact Samantha Rogers, Pumpkin PR for Imagination, samantha@pumpkin.uk.com
About Imagination
Imagination is an award-winning Experience Design Company with 14 offices worldwide. Founded over 50 years ago on the principle of Independent Creativity - we bring together diverse groups of strategic, creative and practical people to find creative and inspired answers to client challenges. We remain independent to this day.
We have earned a reputation for consistently challenging and changing the status quo through our core offers of Consulting, Destinations, Content and Live. Our US offices in New York, Detroit, Houston and Los Angeles work across key clients including the NFL, Ford Motor Company, Visa, Major League Baseball, Brown-Forman and Aptiv.
For more information, please visit www.imagination.com and follow us on @imaginationglbl.