Steve Cochran is a born and bred New Zealander whose hair has been that colour since he was 20.

Trained in graphic design, he graduated three weeks after the 1987 share-market crash and quickly learned that timing is a creative skill. As studios closed, he teamed up with freelance designer Dave Clark helping to build Dave Clark Design Associates.

But the fun of writing advertising called.

After entering and winning New Zealand’s inaugural Award School, he approached his first agency with book in hand. Saatchi & Saatchi told him they didn’t hire juniors and to come back after gaining more experience.

He secured a role at Ogilvy & Mather, after that HKM Advertising, and then in 1997 joined Colenso BBDO, where he spent more than two decades shaping the work and the culture, becoming Executive Creative Director in 2010.

His 22 years with Colenso BBDO produced many career highlights including awards from creative global shows and agency accolades that continuously placed Colenso amongst the top 50 agencies in the world.

In 2020, Saatchi & Saatchi came knocking. Clearly, he’d gained enough experience. Steve Cochran is Chief Creative Officer of Saatchi and Saatchi, New Zealand.