It is with heavy hearts and deep shock that we share the tragic news that Tony Cullingham, beloved husband, father and son and legendary leader of the Watford Advertising Course and the BBH Barn, has passed away at the age of 66.

For over 30 years, Tony has been fiercely committed to finding and nurturing creative minds, and freeing people to fulfil their creative potential. With the groundbreaking Watford Advertising Course he kicked down the doors of adland and elevated people from all walks of life. You could look into any creative department in any agency, and find examples of Tony’s influence and dedication there.

Over the last two years we have been honoured to have him lead The Barn, BBH’s creative placement scheme, alongside our ECD Helen Rhodes - a former Watford student. Our grads come from very different backgrounds, all with little to no experience, and under Tony’s stewardship, unmatched energy and brutal honesty, go on to secure jobs at some of the best agencies in the country, places which every student coming out of any ad college would aspire to.

The profound impact Tony has had on BBH, on the industry and on the business of creativity cannot be overstated. Our hearts are broken but we are so proud and grateful to have had the joy and opportunity of working alongside him. It is a devastating loss, for us and for so many in our industry, and an unimaginable loss for his family. All our thoughts and love are with them, and we are doing everything we can to support them and give them the space and privacy they need to grieve during this difficult time.

"My creative roots were formed in Watford. As a former student of Tony’s, it is difficult for me to put into words the enormity of his influence and impact on my life. It has been one of my greatest privileges working alongside him to relaunch The Barn. He wanted to find people who thought differently, who would approach a problem with something most of us would never have thought of. He was a legend, a one of a kind, with the most unique teaching style of honesty, unpredictability and passion. It is no understatement to say that most of the creative departments in London are staffed thanks to his unwavering commitment to creativity and diversity over the last three decades and more. This is his legacy. This is all Tony. He left us too soon and he will be so deeply missed." Helen Rhodes, ECD.

"Tony has been a part of our family for over two years now, and has been a source of inspiration for decades before that. There wasn’t a person he didn’t speak to, and not a person who didn’t speak of him fondly. He was a true trailblazer, transforming people's lives, being a relentless voice for up and coming creative sparks. He was so loved by so many. We are all absolutely devastated. All our thoughts and all our love are with his family right now." Karen Martin, CEO.

We plan to honour Tony’s legacy with a moment of remembrance and celebration of everything he achieved and we will share an update on those plans as soon as we can, but for now, we are grieving the loss of a profoundly inspiring teacher, a fearless mentor and a cherished friend.