WPP appoints new board member
WPP named Angela Ahrendts to its board as a non-executive director. Ahrendts most recently was senior VP, retail at Apple. She announced her departure from Apple in April 2019, saying she wanted to pursue new opportunities. Ahrendts joined Apple in May 2014 and oversaw global retail as well as spearheaded initiatives like Today at Apple, which allows customers to set up educational sessions at Apple's retail stores. Before Apple, Ahrendts served as the CEO of Burberry for eight years. Ahrendts was also a member of the U.K. Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council from 2010 to 2015; a member of the Oxford University Saïd Business School’s Global Leadership Council; a non-executive director on the Ralph Lauren and Airbnb boards; and sits on the boards of nonprofits Charity: Water and The HOW Institute for Society. Her appointment to WPP’s board is effective July 1.
“WPP is one of the world’s leading creative companies,” Ahrendts says. “[WPP CEO] Mark [Read] and his excellent leadership team have a strong sense of purpose and a strategy that values creative talent while embracing societal shifts and new technologies. I am so honored to support their ongoing development as a member of the WPP Board.”
MDC Partners appoints president to oversee integrated accounts
MDC Partners hired Julia Hammond as president of a new division that will oversee larger integrated client accounts across the holding company’s agencies. Hammond previously was leading business development and marketing across Deloitte Digital’s Heat. Her appointment follows MDC’s formation of agency networks. Most recently, MDC merged two of its public relations firms, KWT Global and HL Group, which are both part of its Doner Partner Network.
MDC has been restructuring various of its agencies into combined networks since Mark Penn took over as CEO and chairman of the holding company last year. The efforts saw the formation of Constellation, a collective spanning creative agencies 72andSunny and Crispin Porter Bogusky; digital brand and experience shop Instrument; strategy and design firm Redscout, and production shop Hecho Studios. There is also a Doner-led network, an Anomaly-led alliance and a media, data and tech network comprised of Gale, Allegory, Attention, EnPlay, Trade X Partners, Unique Influence, Assembly and Varick.
“As we work with more clients to build custom integrated solutions that marry data with creativity, we’re excited to bring on a business leader that can drive key partnerships across our global network,” Penn says.
MDC says Hammond will be organizing the new division over the coming months and detailing members of her team within the next 90 days. Prior to Heat, Hammond managed client engagement and new business at VMLY&R as executive director of North America. She also held the WPP Global Team Leader role for Tyson Foods. Hammond says “clients expect more from us” and “in this moment, we have an opportunity to put our diverse network of unmatched talent to work in innovative partnership models.”
Brief mentions:
Mother New York was named the creative agency of record for Dave & Buster’s. The agency says it will be responsible for delivering new national and regional marketing campaigns for the operator of entertainment and dining venues, as well as for enhancing tailored communications with the company's customers. Dave & Buster’s CEO Brian Jenkins comments, “As we continue to reopen more of our locations and bring fun back to the communities we serve, this partnership will enable us capitalize on technology upgrades, enhanced data analytics and digital marketing investments to drive deeper engagement with our guests.”
Marc USA, BFG and BLR|further, all independent agencies, have merged to form one new company called 9Rooftops. The name of the new agency is a nod to the founding number of offices, “and auspiciously has often been referred to as a symbol of wisdom, creativity and empathy,” the companies say. 9Rooftops has offices in New York, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Birmingham, Miami and Hilton Head, South Carolina. Its clients include Honest Tea, Qdoba, Barilla, Conair Man, Turner Broadcasting, South Carolina Tourism, Bellin Health System, Carle Health, Glanbia, Coca-Cola and the Pennsylvania and Maryland state lotteries.
Mosaic, a North American integrated marketing agency, promoted Lee Esmond, a senior VP, expanding her leadership to include oversight over the shop’s U.S. shopper marketing team. She will continue leading Mosaic’s consumer packaged goods and retail experiential teams. Mosaic says the shift allows for the further integration of its U.S. business. Esmond will also be serving as a “key conduit” between Mosaic and parent company Acosta in her expanded role, according to the agency.
Mesh, an independent creative and strategic agency, expanded its presence in the southern U.S. with three new locations in Austin, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Lafayette, Louisiana. The agency remains headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Mesh Chief Strategist Hector Gonzalez is leading the agency’s expansion in Chattanooga. Will Jenkins was hired from T3 as a director in Austin. Daniel Kedinger joined Mesh from BBR Creative as a principal and digital director in the Lafayette office.