Rob Allen steps down as executive chairman of TRO
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Rob Allen will step down as executive chairman of TRO at the end of November 2014. After 18 years with the agency, Rob feels that the time is right for him – and for TRO – to make this move.
Rob will retain an ongoing part-time role in the agency world as a consultant to a small portfolio of agencies including TRO. This move will enable him to spend some well-deserved time pursuing his personal passions for skiing, cycling and sailing, as well as devote more time to running his local rugby club.
With a background that includes client-side, advertising and consultancy, Rob joined TRO in 1996 as managing director. He quickly brought clarity and focus to the business allowing the agency to thrive in the early days of experiential marketing. With Rob at the helm, the agency grew from its regional origins in the East of England to a multi-award winning UK industry leader.
With his partners, Rob led the sale of TRO to the global marketing group Omnicom in 2008, which brought together the Manchester, Norwich and London teams. Working with the Omnicom group of agencies, TRO has been able to grow in new sectors and territories – now TRO is developing fast as a truly global experiential agency.
Rob served six years on the board of trade association Eventia where he twice occupied the chairman role. He is a passionate contributor to the event and experiential marketing industry and has published numerous articles across a range of topics within the industry. In 2013, he was crowned Industry Personality of the Year by M&IT magazine and awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Field Marketing and Brand Experience Awards.
The Group Board remains unchanged with Michael Wyrley-Birch running the EMEA region, Jonathan Klingender overseeing Asia-Pacific, and Keith O’Loughlin overseeing the global business.
“Rob is a well-known personality throughout our business and the UK events community. He is known for his passion for the events industry, individual commitment, and to have a genuine care for the work he does and the people he works with.” says Keith O’Loughlin, chairman and chief executive officer, TRO.
“I know him as a friend, mentor, supporter and business partner. Many people have cause to be thankful to Rob for his work with TRO and the wider industry. Rob will continue his ties with TRO by consulting across the European region, and as a client auditor (and composer of the annual TRO UK Christmas song!). I am sure you will all join me and the TRO team in wishing Rob well for the next chapter of his career.”
Rob Allen adds: “For just over 18 years I have had the absolute pleasure of enjoying a leading position within TRO but I now feel that the time is right for me to move into a different role so that I can free myself up for a number of other things I want to squeeze into my life.
“TRO has been the best thing ever in my working life, so the act of ‘dialing down’ my involvement is not without some sadness. That said I am convinced that it is the right thing for me – and for TRO. I shall be undertaking some small scale consultancy work within the industry (which will include work for TRO as well as 2 or 3 other businesses) but I shall also be trying to ‘live the dream’ which is to be found skiing, cycling, sailing and watching rugby.”
