Allan Kazmer, the 53-year-old international creative director of DDB Needham Worldwide announced last month that he would be leaving his agency home of the past 13 years at the end of this year.

In 1988, Kazmer, a veteran of 33 years in the business, committed himself to DDB New York for a five-year term, and that deal expires at the end of this year.

He was with McCann-Erickson Advertising before ddb.

He will continue to teach a class on copy concept twice a month at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto.

Kazmer’s response to people who ask why he is quitting at the peak of his earning capacity is, ‘Because I want to.’

On a more mellow note, he explains that he and his wife Karen ‘want to have our joy now.’