Just nine months after assuming the EVP of North American planning post at Digitas, sources confirm that Leslie Bielby is parting ways with the agency to grow her independent strategic planning and research consultancy. A spokesperson tells us, “She has been a strategic force and leader for Digitas during her tenure here, and we wish her only the best in this pursuit and the future partnerships that her consultancy will attract.”
Bielby joined Digitas from Hill Holliday, where she spent six years overall and last served as chief strategy officer for the Boston and New York branches. During her career, the exec also held planning positions at the likes of MMB, Merkley+ Partners and McKinney. In case you need some clarification , Bielby’s position as EVP, North America planning at Digitas is different and distinct from that of Baba Shetty’s. The latter, of course, rejoined the agency world last week–Digitas specifically–as chief strategy and media officer after a brief stint as CEO of Newsweek/The Daily Beast.