BBH USA names BBDO New York’s Steven Panariello as CEO

Publicis Groupe’s BBH USA has appointed BBDO New York Managing Director Steven Panariello as CEO. Panariello’s appointment is the latest in a series of leadership changes at BBH USA in recent years. Amani Duncan was the agency’s first CEO, but she left the shop in December 2022, less than a year after assuming the title. Instead of directly replacing Duncan, BBH USA named two new leaders: President Agnes Fischer and Chief Strategy Officer Alan Stout. Fischer left BBH USA earlier this summer to pursue other opportunities, a spokesperson said. She could not be immediately reached for comment. Stout departed in the summer of 2023 and was replaced shortly after by Fig’s head of strategy, Samantha Deevy. The agency has also recently added Lindsey McNabb Hover as chief marketing officer and Ben Muldrew as head of client services. Agency Review Tracker Stay up to date with the latest account reviews Click here With Panariello, BBH USA aims to strengthen its reputation as “a leader in breakthrough creativity,” the agency said in a statement. BBH USA works with brands such as J.M. Smucker Co., Netflix, Samsung and Heineken. It recently rolled out a spot for Jif around the merger of two fictional companies, The Peanut Butter Group and Chocolatey Corp., featuring “Succession” star J. Smith-Cameron. At BBDO New York, Panariello drove growth with clients such as Bacardi, Pedigree, M&M’s, Snickers, Wells Fargo and FedEx. His departure comes after BBDO New York President and CEO Kirsten Flanik exited in July after seven years in the position and 18 years with the Omnicom agency. Nancy Reyes, who was named BBDO’s CEO of the Americas in October, has been overseeing the office while it looks for a replacement. Meanwhile, President and CEO Jeff Adkins is leaving Energy BBDO, leaving vacancies atop BBDO’s Chicago and New York offices. BBDO declined to discuss replacement plans, including the possibility of consolidating New York and Chicago office leadership. Asked about Panariello’s role and the shop’s broader structure, a BBDO New York spokesperson said it would have an update soon.

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