Last week we posted on the departure of now-former TBWA\Toronto managing director George Nguyen, and today we can confirm that he has landed the same position at McKinney in New York approximately one month after leaving his previous job.
Prior to the move, Nguyen spent more than six years within the TBWA network, rising to the position of country manager for the agency’s Vietnam operations before moving to Canada; his client list during that time included Visa, Asia Pacific Breweries, Johnny Walker, L’Oreal, Nivea, Nissan and Gatorade.
Before joining TBWA, Nguyen worked in various strategic planning/account positions at DDB Seattle, Arnold, Lowe and StrawberryFrog.
Murmurs about a pending move began surfacing back in February, when his shift from MD to CSO coincided with the return of Jay Bertram as president of the agency’s Canadian operations. We hear that the office’s primary focus during his time as manager concerned the Nissan account.
In the release, Nguyen elaborates on his strategic role at the new agency, writing that “My job is to further strengthen our team and drive its success for our client partners and our people.”
McKinney CEO/Chairman Brad Brinegar cites Nguyen’s “…infectious passion for brands and entrepreneurial spirit” in explaining the strategy behind the hire.