Pat Kinsley retires from leading creative branding agency Neworld
Pat Kinsley has stepped back from his role as Managing Director of Neworld, after 39 years at the helm of the one of Ireland’s most successful creative branding agencies.
Pat is being succeeded by his longstanding business partners Gary Gleeson, who has taken on the role of Managing Director, while David Jordan will continue to lead Neworld’s Digital Division.
One of the original brand thinkers in Ireland, Pat has had a profound impact on the creative industry, pioneering brand strategy in Ireland and applying his unique perspective to some of the nation’s best loved iconic Irish brands.
A native New Yorker, Pat bucked the trend with a brave move to Ireland in 1985. As people were emigrating in their droves to seek a better life, Pat was setting up his first design agency with his then business partner, Richard O’Connell, above the legendary Joy’s Nightclub on Dublin’s Baggot Street. Pat was the first design expert to make branding a fundamental part of the design process. This led to the creation of Neworld, the first strategic branding agency in Ireland.
Pat’s career over the past four decades has been defined by many significant achievements. He was one of the eight founders and a Director of Design Ireland, and a champion of both the Graphic Design Business Association (GDBA) and the Institute of Creative Advertising & Design (ICAD). Pat also brought his strategic branding acumen with him across the globe, through the Design Management Institute (DMI), working with the advisory panel and speaking at events across the United States, London, Helsinki, Madrid and Amsterdam.
Pat has also been a prominent figure in the Marketing Institute of Ireland (MII). He sat on the judging panel for the All Ireland Marketing Awards (AIMS) and was honoured to be MC at the 2015 CMO Summit. Over the past four years Pat has also lent his decades of experience to the role of external examiner for TU Dublin’s Visual Communications department.
A lifelong love of radio has seen Pat working on both sides of the microphone. From the heyday of Pirate Radio in the 1980s, he became part of the new era of independent local radio in Ireland, developing brands such as Capital Radio (now FM104), Sunshine FM, Lite FM (now Dublin’s Q102) and WLR FM. In addition to a regular branding slot on Newstalk, Pat has also contributed to a range of radio shows with presenters such as Marian Finucane, Ivan Yates, Bobby Kerr and Ryan Tubridy.
Outside the business world, Pat has been an active supporter and influencer in the charitable sector. He was a Director of the umbrella charity People in Need Trust, which has raised €40m for small charities across Ireland through its telethons. He worked alongside former President Mary McAleese and Dr Martin McAleese to develop the campaign ‘Your Country, Your Call’ and he was a passionate champion of the LauraLynn Foundation, helping to build the brand from its inception. In addition, Pat’s passion for theatre inspired him to become involved in the founding and development of the hugely successful dlr Mill Theatre, where he currently sits as Chairman of the Board.
Pat says: “For the last 39 years I’ve had the privilege of working with some of Ireland’s most iconic and best loved brands. I’ve met all types of people and worked on all types of projects. It’s certainly never been a job for me, but a way of life. There is no doubt in my mind that Neworld will continue to prosper and I’m so delighted that Gary and David, along with the next generation of talent, will keep driving it forward.”
Gary Gleeson, newly appointed Managing Director of Neworld, says:
“Pat has been an absolute pioneer in the Irish branding industry and myself, David and the entire team at Neworld feel so privileged to have worked alongside him. We now look forward to continuing Pat’s legacy and we’re very excited about the plans we have in place for the business.
Neworld works hand in hand with a diverse mix of Irish brands, right across a range of different sectors, from food and drinks brands to aviation and construction and we thoroughly enjoy building brands and delivering award-winning creative solutions for these clients.
We have huge pride in the fact that many of these amazing brands have moved beyond Irish shores and are now competing in a global marketplace. New technologies have certainly helped to break down borders and boundaries. But crucially, our clients understand the value of building a strong brand that can assert itself and hold its own in new territories, while also creating honest and emotional connections with their consumers.
We’re honoured that these clients are bringing us with them as their brand partners, pushing across Europe and beyond. Neworld is in a really, really exciting place at the moment, thanks in no small part to Pat’s dynamic leadership, and we’re really looking forward to taking the next step on this journey and embracing what the future holds for us.”
