"It is a great shame to lose Marcus, especially after so short a time," said Electronic Solutions managing director David Russell. "But he's paid for himself twice over since he's been here."

Chris Clancey, chief executive officer of Fusion UK, said: "Marcus will be a valuable addition to our board."

Kirby stated: "It's a great opportunity for me and I'm looking forward to getting my feet under the desk and getting on with it."

Kirby's departure isn't expected to have an effect on the company's plan to reposition and rebrand.  

"These things aren't just about one person," said Russell, adding that the changes would represent "a very big step-up" for the firm. 

A group technical director from within BBDO will step in while a replacement is recruited.

Story by Darryl Danielli