Shehan Karunatilaka joins iris Singapore

February 2 2010, 9:16 am | BY Kim Shaw | No Comments

Shehan.jpgiris Singapore has appointed Shehan Karunatilaka as creative group head to further strengthen the agency’s 20 strong creative department. Karunatilaka, previously a creative director at Grant McCann-Erickson, will join this month and work across a range of iris’ clients, which include Sony Ericsson, Diageo, Heineken, Tiger, Red Bull, adidas and Unilever.     

Karunatilaka will report to iris’ creative director Tom Ormes, who took up the creative reins at the agency earlier this month following the departure of Kelly Finnegan who returned to the UK to pursue a music career. An award-winning creative, Karunatilaka has worked for a broad range of clients during his career including Volkswagen, Coca-cola, Nike, Nestlé and Disney.

Ormes said: “It’s great to have one of the industry’s brightest talentson board in Shehan and I have no doubt that he’ll continue to drive thequality of iris’ creative output.”

Karunatilaka said: “There’s a real buzz about iris. They’re leaner,hungrier, more focused and more open in their thinking. Working withTom and the guys is a set up that I’m excited to become part of.” 

Prior to joining Grant McCann-Erickson in 2006, Karunatilaka was acopywriter for BoyMeetsGirl (formerly Springer and Jacoby) between 2004and 2005 and prior to this he was with ARC Leo Burnett and TMPWorldwide in London.