This afternoon we can confirm that Brent Vartan, New York-based partner and chief strategy officer at Deutsch, will soon be leaving the agency.
We do not, unfortunately, have specifics as to where he’s headed next.
Here’s the statement from an agency spokesperson:
“Brent, like many Deutschers, has an entrepreneurial itch he wants to scratch and since joining the agency he has, with our full support, been involved in outside projects. We have been in active talks with Brent on an ongoing basis, helping him to figure out how and when he can best pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations. When we have something concrete to share we will be in touch.”
Vartan began his agency career as a media planner at the San Francisco offices of Hill Holliday before joining BBDO New York, where he spent more than four years as an associate planning director. Deutsch New York hired him to fill the SVP/group planning director role in early 2008.
After the March 2012 departure of Bert Moore, who spent approximately 16 months in the CSO position, Vartan was promoted to ECD/partner.
We have no specifics on his future plans at the moment, though the word “consultancy” MAY be involved. A New York agency chief who spoke to Vartan regarding the move expressed confidence that he will succeed in his next endeavor…whatever it might be.
Updates to come.