James Ward is rejoining McCann after 15 years to serve as president of its Detroit office.
“James has an insatiable energy and drive which is infectious and, aligned with his breadth of experience in strategy, business development and leadership, makes him the perfect addition to our McCann Detroit Team. He will be a great partner for our clients in one of our most important agencies in North America,” McCann Worldgroup North America president Chris Macdonald said in a statement.
Ward spent the past 15 years with Doner Detroit, where he most recently served as executive vice president, chief strategy and integration officer. He began his career as an account director with McCann Detroit in 1991 and worked his way up to senior vice president, group account director before leaving for Doner in 2003.
“I’m so happy to be rejoining the McCann family,” Ward said in a statement. “They are truly the standard bearer for what an agency network should be in this era of modern brand building. And with the cultural and commercial renaissance going on in Detroit right now, there’s this incredible sense of possibility. No better context for an agency to do great things for their clients’ brands.”
Ward’s arrival follows the departure of executive vice president, general manager Mel Smart last month and ALDI selecting Leo Burnett as its U.S. agency of record, following a review, in January.