"ADC goes on tour"
Jean Etienne Aebi - new ADC Honorary President - is succeeded by Andreas Prokesch
Jean Etienne Aebi - new ADC Honorary President - is succeeded by Andreas ProkeschAt the 26th Annual General Meeting of the Art Directors Club (ADC), Andreas Prokesch was elected to succeed Jean Etienne Aebi as Chairman of the Board. "Because there weren't that many people vying for it," admits the previous ADC Chairman with a grin. The Art Directors Club (ADC) Switzerland has elected you as the successor to President Jean Etienne Aebi. Rumor has it that you had to be kneecapped for a long time. Did you find the honorable office so difficult?
Andreas Prokesch: It was never my goal to become anything in particular - not even ADC President, especially as it involves a lot of voluntary work. Like the other board members who were considered as candidates, I had a natural fear of the time commitment and the pressure of expectations - and of the idea of having to stand in the shop window and take the rap at every opportunity. So at first we joined forces to try and get Jean Etienne Aebi around for a few more years. We then thought about how we could perhaps tackle and distribute the task differently than before.
What made you decide to take on the top post in the creative association?
Prokesch: The discussion in the decisive meeting went round in circles, as in the previous ones - because not too many people were vying for the position. As the open-ended date announced on the invitation approached, I said at some point, "OK, I'll do it" - much to the astonishment of those present and, above all, myself. But I also said yes because I was fully
can count on the Board of Directors and ADC Managing Director Helen Müller.
That doesn't sound like a long term of office.
Prokesch: Like all Board members, I have to stand for re-election every year and will probably do so four or five times, provided the ADC members want this by a large majority.
As ADC Chairman, who always stands aside during the judging process, you were regarded as the club's calming influence. Will people now get to know your combative side?
Prokesch: I have always tried to take a neutral position and have a balancing effect. This is more important to me than ever. That's why I won't be actively participating in the ADC judging process now, even though I would be qualified to do so according to our statutes.
In order to reflect the principle of collegiality of the ADC Board of Directors, you have chosen to replace the previous title of "President" with that of Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Prokesch: (laughs) Yes, that was the only condition I asked of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Apparently not all members understood this.
Prokesch: When I took over the judging department, the first thing I did was to replace "Jury President" with "Chairman" and deprive him of his voice on the jury. Now I'm also doing a little verbal retouching and want to make it clear that I feel I'm primus inter pares - even if the change of name doesn't change anything in purely functional terms.
Over the past five years, Jean Etienne Aebi has strongly shaped the image of the ADC and communicated it to the outside world in particular. Will a phase of internal consolidation now follow?
Prokesch: Jean Etienne Aebi has done everything to ensure that the ADC increases in value day by day like no other blue chip. I will devote myself to maintaining the share price and call on Jean Etienne Aebi as a spokesman when necessary. Otherwise, the focus will be on the intrinsic values. The ADC now consists of 130 members. They no longer all know each other as well as they did in the early days of the ADC.
Is the ADC too big for you?
Prokesch: No, no. But for the quality assurance of ADC judging, it is important that we talk and argue even more with each other about what good advertising is, that the ADC recognizes it. This is only possible if we know, respect and like each other. Equally important to me are the entrants who face our strict judging process and whom I regard as customers, the sponsors, the press, the other clubs and associations. I want to work even more closely with them.
What other priorities and topics do you want to set for the Swiss ADC?
Prokesch: I have the same goal as my predecessors and all ADC members: we want to improve advertising by judging it. Apart from that, I want to take care of the many details and thus improve the ADC. For example, there will only be one board meeting at the office. After that, we will go on tour and always meet at another board member's home.
Where do you see the ADC in five years' time?
Prokesch: I have called the Board of Directors together for the next possible date. Then we will first allocate the departments and discuss the objectives together. Interview: Luca Aloisi
Andreas Prokesch: It was never my goal to become anything in particular - not even ADC President, especially as it involves a lot of voluntary work. Like the other board members who were considered as candidates, I had a natural fear of the time commitment and the pressure of expectations - and of the idea of having to stand in the shop window and take the rap at every opportunity. So at first we joined forces to try and get Jean Etienne Aebi around for a few more years. We then thought about how we could perhaps tackle and distribute the task differently than before.
What made you decide to take on the top post in the creative association?
Prokesch: The discussion in the decisive meeting went round in circles, as in the previous ones - because not too many people were vying for the position. As the open-ended date announced on the invitation approached, I said at some point, "OK, I'll do it" - much to the astonishment of those present and, above all, myself. But I also said yes because I was fully
can count on the Board of Directors and ADC Managing Director Helen Müller.
That doesn't sound like a long term of office.
Prokesch: Like all Board members, I have to stand for re-election every year and will probably do so four or five times, provided the ADC members want this by a large majority.
As ADC Chairman, who always stands aside during the judging process, you were regarded as the club's calming influence. Will people now get to know your combative side?
Prokesch: I have always tried to take a neutral position and have a balancing effect. This is more important to me than ever. That's why I won't be actively participating in the ADC judging process now, even though I would be qualified to do so according to our statutes.
In order to reflect the principle of collegiality of the ADC Board of Directors, you have chosen to replace the previous title of "President" with that of Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Prokesch: (laughs) Yes, that was the only condition I asked of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Apparently not all members understood this.
Prokesch: When I took over the judging department, the first thing I did was to replace "Jury President" with "Chairman" and deprive him of his voice on the jury. Now I'm also doing a little verbal retouching and want to make it clear that I feel I'm primus inter pares - even if the change of name doesn't change anything in purely functional terms.
Over the past five years, Jean Etienne Aebi has strongly shaped the image of the ADC and communicated it to the outside world in particular. Will a phase of internal consolidation now follow?
Prokesch: Jean Etienne Aebi has done everything to ensure that the ADC increases in value day by day like no other blue chip. I will devote myself to maintaining the share price and call on Jean Etienne Aebi as a spokesman when necessary. Otherwise, the focus will be on the intrinsic values. The ADC now consists of 130 members. They no longer all know each other as well as they did in the early days of the ADC.
Is the ADC too big for you?
Prokesch: No, no. But for the quality assurance of ADC judging, it is important that we talk and argue even more with each other about what good advertising is, that the ADC recognizes it. This is only possible if we know, respect and like each other. Equally important to me are the entrants who face our strict judging process and whom I regard as customers, the sponsors, the press, the other clubs and associations. I want to work even more closely with them.
What other priorities and topics do you want to set for the Swiss ADC?
Prokesch: I have the same goal as my predecessors and all ADC members: we want to improve advertising by judging it. Apart from that, I want to take care of the many details and thus improve the ADC. For example, there will only be one board meeting at the office. After that, we will go on tour and always meet at another board member's home.
Where do you see the ADC in five years' time?
Prokesch: I have called the Board of Directors together for the next possible date. Then we will first allocate the departments and discuss the objectives together. Interview: Luca Aloisi
