Grant Mercer, the former chief executive of Tequila\Manchester, is set to join Dinosaur as its new chief executive.
Mercer famously left the Manchester agency scene in 2005, claiming the market lacked 'opportunities' for him. Since then, he has worked for Cable & Wireless International as creative director of The Americas and the Caribbean.
However, he is understood to have held discussions with a number of agencies over a return to the industry.
Mercer will join Dinosaur at board level and will allow co-founders, Mark Beaumont and Chris Lloyd, to concentrate on the agency's creative output.
Mercer started his career at Grey London and WCRS London, before holding the position of new business development director at JWT Manchester.
He later became managing director of direct marketing specialists MKP, which he ran alongside its co-founder Martin Kemp. The duo sold the business in 2002 to the TBWA group and oversaw its merger three years later with sister agency Tequila\Manchester. Mercer was subsequently made chief executive of the agency, but left in July following a six-month notice period.
His return to the industry has already created a buzz, with industry sources suggesting the arrival will "ruffle feathers in the Manchester creative scene."
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