-Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand encourages pride amongst its countrymen and women (above) in a new campaign for ASB Bank (above).

-New York based prodco, Humble, has welcomed West Coast-based executive producer Ned Brown to its roster.

-Amsterdam-based small agency THEY has promoted seven-year vet Boris Nihom to head of strategy.

-It appears that Best Buy founder Dick Schulze‘s offer to buy out the company is over. link

-For better or worse, there’s a viral-related event for industry folks dubbed #kittencamp. link; link (.pdf)

-L.A.-based Mistress has welcomed ex-London creative team Rory Forrest and Ben Beale while also hiring Goodby/Droga5 alum Maggie O’Brien as senior interactive producer.

-TBWA Worldwide COO Emmanuel Andre‘s two-day photography shoot in Shanghai has resulted in a new project called “The Bike Lane.” link

Hmm, well this little memo purportedly written by AKQA chairman Tom Bedecarre seems to indicate that the WPP-owned agency’s San Francisco managing director Stuart Sproule is moving on from the Bay Area and heading to our home turf. We’re of course trying to verify the matter with said agency, but here’s what we got below, verbatim:

“Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh. Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day, ‘ay ‘ay ‘ay…

After 12 years of loyal and dedicated service to AKQA, Stuart Sproule has made the reluctant decision to pursue a new career and life opportunity in New York City. Fulfilling a long-held desire to return to Madison Avenue where he started his advertising career at JWT, Stuart will be joining TBWA as President of their global Digital Arts Network, which includes a team of 700 digital specialists across 18 TBWA offices.

February 28th will be Stuart’s last day at AKQA and because he has been busy making plans to move his family to New York, he won’t be back in San Francisco for several weeks — at which time I will be hosting a farewell reception so that we can properly send off Stuart with our best wishes and thanks for his many contributions to AKQA.

Until we meet once more, Stuart, here’s wishing you a happy voyage — to your new — home!

Best regards,
Tom

–
Tom Bedecarre
Chairman”

Sproule, along with several others, was promoted by AKQA last year and took on the role of managing director, international operations & talent.

Update: It’s confirmed and Sproule joins Digital Arts Network on March 1 and will be based in New York. See statement after the jump.

Read more