VBAT, the Amsterdam-based award-winning brand development agency, has appointed Andy Palmer Smith in the new role of Retail Creative Director. This new position has been created in response to market changes and client needs.
With the consumer experience becoming ever-more important, Palmer-Smith will use his retail background to ensure that VBAT offers insightful and relevant solutions across our brand portfolio.
British-born Palmer Smith began his career in London in 1983 as a retail designer for Conran Design Group. He then moved to the Michael Peters Group, working for international clients such as Topshop, Gieves, Pernod Ricard and Sony Europe. In 1994, he was made the Creative Partner of the Michael Peters Group's Amsterdam office. Between 2002 and 2007, Palmer Smith held the positions of Creative Director and Creative Partner for DJPA Partnership and MPG, respectively. In Amsterdam he has worked for leading brands such as Grolsch, Auping, Plus, Hema and Mexx.
For the past three years, Andy Palmer Smith has worked with VBAT as Brand Director, developing new retail formats for Gamma, SNS Bank and Telfort. This newly created role will draw on his career experience, combining his retail expertise with his creative leadership skills.
"At VBAT we believe in the effectiveness of offering a multi-disciplinary service to our clients," said Andy Palmer Smith. "Our ability to put together creative teams with branding, packaging and spatial design expertise allows us to deliver integrated solutions with a single-minded creative vision.
My role will be to develop an international reputation for VBAT in retail and spatial design, building on the commercially successful formats we created for Gamma and SNS Bank over the last few months."
"The new role of Retail Creative Director is part of our ongoing growth strategy," commented Robert de Groot, CEO and Brand Director at VBAT. "Andy's broad experience, specifically in retail, is in line with our growing international focus and ongoing commitment to a comprehensive strategic approach for our clients' brands."