The recent death of Alan McClarty, Managing Director, Sharemind Nigeria formerly known as Initiative, Lagos, one of Nigeria’s leading media specialist agencies, was a rude shock and sore loss to the entire Nigeria marketing communications and media communities.
A thoroughbred professional and a teacher who is always willing to impact professional knowledge with a view to improving professionalism, Alan popularly called ‘Baba Alani” by colleagues at Sharemind, gave up the ghost at the high profile St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos, after a brief illness.
Alan Kirkpatrick McClarty was born in Cape Town, South Africa on 16th Oct, 1951, he was the oldest son of the late Hamilton Kirkpatrick and Audrey Leighton McClarty. Alan grew up in Cape Town where he studied commercial mathematics. While he was growing up, Alan worked as a printing press operator. It was here he was inspired by media communication.
His love for analyzing issues, research and communication spurred him to join the media industry when he left school, He moved to Johannesburg in the late 1970’s and worked for some of the top Media agencies in South Africa.
Alan was the pioneer Managing Director of Universal McCann, South Africa. In 2001 he freelanced for the industry and became a part owner of a restaurant in Melville Johannesburg until 2003 when the opportunity arose for him to join Lowe Lintas, Lagos.
He saw the emergence of Initiative Lagos, a Media Specialist arm of Lowe Lintas as an avenue to actualize his passion for Media. Alan took up the role of Managing Director and Chief Strategist of Initiative Lagos,now Sharemind Nigeria-affiliated to Mindshare Worldwide. Alan’s exemplary leadership skills grew Sharemind from a small media department to a full-fledged media independent agency, working with top advertising brands in Nigeria.
Till he passed on, Alan had been involved in the Media business for 39 years. He is a member of Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) and has assisted Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN)/ Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) committee preparing industry credit policy position. He had various experiences working with Creative and Media Agencies such as HerdBuoys, McCann-Erickson, Optimedia and Capro in South Africa. He had the credit to have launched and ran Universal McCann, South Africa.
His experience trail includes time at McCann-Erickson (twice), Whitehouse (Creative Hot Shop), O&M, Campbell Edwald, Adpro (Creative Hot Shop), BBDO, JWT and the Cape Argus Newspaper. He managed global and regional brands including Unilever South Africa & Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries, FrieslandFoods WAMCO, Twinings, L’Oreal, Google, General Motors, Woolworths, Vodacom, Motorola, McDonalds, Michelin, Gillette, SA Perm (Bank), various alcohol beverages and tobacco brands including Amstel, Heineken, Smirnoff, J&B, Chivas Regal, Captain Morgan, Olmeca Tequila, Connoisseur VO Brandy, Camel, JPS, and Chesterfield.
In the Nigerian advertising industry, Alan was a teacher, contributor and innovator to the development of media research, creativity and advertising development in general. At the agency, Alan will be remembered for his revolutionary ideas and management style. His teaching and coaching skills went a long way in grooming colleagues and many experts who today are making the difference in the industry.
He was the perfect example of a true leader. He lived his life for everyone around him. Always calm, with listening ears and ready to learn from everyone.
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