Page 25 - AdNews May-June 2020

News
He was widely regarded as one of the true gentlemen of the advertising industry. He was 65.
Obituary: Warren Baglin
WORDS BY
CHRIS PASH
Many senior leaders of the media agency world in Australia were mentored by Warren Baglin when they started their careers.
He was highly regarded by the media sales industry and by his agency clients as an honest, straight-shooting and savvy media operator. Former colleagues say his clients were unanimous in their praise of his contribution.
Baglin joined Media Decisions, one of the first specialist media planning and buying agencies in Australia, in the late-1980s as a media group head.
He then became a media direc- tor at Zenith Media when the company was formed in the mid- 1990s. Zenith was the first of the traditional full service ad agencies to hive off media into a specialist agency. Five become one – George Patterson Bates, Saatchi and Saatchi, Campaign Palace, ABKP & Friends and Media Decisions.
“He was the consummate pro- fessional,” says Daryl Paterson, former managing director of Media Decisions and, later, CEO of Zenith Media.
“Enormously well liked – some would even say loved – and respected by those who
worked with him.
“To many, he was more than
a boss. He was a loyal friend and wise mentor. Warren gave gener- ously of his time and knowledge, to the benefit of his team, many of who have become leading lights in the media industry today.
Peter Horgan, now CEO of Omnicom Media Group, ANZ, who worked at Media Decisions in the 1990s: “Waz was a warm
Former media director at Zenith Media, Warren Baglin, has died.
and inspirational leader, loved by clients and colleagues alike. A true gent of the industry.”
Jeremy Simpson, now group general manager, national sales and marketing at Grant Broadcasters, worked with Baglin for almost 10 years during two stints.
Their relationship went well beyond advertising. “I won two cricket premierships playing with Warren and his brothers, Graham, Owen and Craig,” says Simpson. “Waz was the captain, of course. Warren’s greatest strength in business was his generosity of spirit. He would always take the time to help you out with a problem that wasn’t his.“
Sue Squillace, now CEO of Carat, ANZ, was a 19-year-old in her first media job when she met Baglin. “I was one of those people and he became a good friend and mentor during those years and afterwards. His style both in busi- ness and personally was one of the same and I have modelled my own on his.”
Henry Tajer, most recently CEO at Dentsu Aegis Network, worked directly for Warren for four years at Media Decisions in Sydney from 1994. “A humble guy with a great sense of humour who was always happy to make time for you,” says Tajer. “He was my boss, a mentor, a mate and
someone I was lucky enough to get sound advice from.”
Peter Cornelius, managing director of Ebiquity, Australia/NZ, worked with Baglin when Zenith Media was formed in early 1997. “Clients loved him because he knew how to look after them and always delivered what he said he would. All the media sales people respected him because he
was always upfront and told it how it was, and delivered on his word.”
www.adnews.com.au | May-June 2020 25