Ex-Engine CMO Richard Dutton and ex-Wunderman Thompson head of strategy Marcus Reynolds are heading up Clockwork UK, the first expansion of South African full-service advertising agency Clockwork, founded in 2010 in South Africa.

The UK agency’s model has been built to meet the needs of clients with Reckitt Benckiser and Xbox already on board.

Clockwork UK is a creative agency that helps accelerate digital and social expertise for forward thinking brands in social, content and commerce. The agency’s offering focuses on four capabilities; content and ideas, connected ecosystems, influencer identification and engagement and data insight and measurement.

Clockwork UK offers brand expertise on demand, delivery of fast and effective work and maximisation of brand budgets. The UK team comprises of a nimble, highly experienced core team in the UK who run the accounts day-to-day, working in collaboration with an ecosystem of 120 best-in-class specialists in South Africa.

Dutton and Reynolds will lead the UK business with the original Clockwork founders Tom Manners and Nic Simmonds.

Dutton comments: “The UK agency landscape is undergoing a seismic and timely disruption. Clockwork offers a fresh and honest approach to delivering work that meets client’s needs of being effective, efficient and delivering value for money. Tom and Nic have grown an incredibly talented agency over the past eleven years and we’re looking forward to replicating this success in the UK.”

Tom Manners, co-CEO and co-founder at Clockwork adds: “We are experiencing an acceleration in evolving business models and working patterns for businesses and brands. Clockwork is uniquely placed to deliver insightful, impactful and effective work that help brands progress their marketing practice at speed. The UK is a prime location for growth due to its talent, geographical location and world class creativity, making it the perfect choice for Clockwork’s second office.”