PATTS Y&R SHAKEUP: STANFORD IN, DOVE FLIES

CB Live hears former McCann Erickson Sydney CD and Publicis Mojo Sydney group head Michael Stanford (below left) will be the new CD of the newly merged George Patterson Y&R Sydney, and incumbent Patts Sydney CD Mark Dove (above left), together with creative partner Andy Flemming are out the door. The appointment of Stanford, who will report to Patts Y&R national CD Matt McGrath, will come as a surprise to most adwatchers, as many were expecting a very big name appointment to match the calibre of James McGrath at Patts Y&R Melbourne. Stanford had only been at Publicis Mojo for five months, an appointment that caused a stir internally within the Publicis Mojo creative department. Publicis Mojo will be looking to replace him "hopefully with a bit more care this time", according to one relieved creative at the agency. There will no doubt be other casualties in the creative and other departments today and tomorrow - at the expense of the Patts people rather than Y&R, before the Y&R gang move over to the Patts Clarence Street offices over the weekend. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, the opposite will probably be the case when the two shops move in together in a few weeks, with Patterson staffers expected to call most of the shots.