-By Andrew McMains

NEW YORK Young & Rubicam has recruited BBDO's Tom Sebok to lead its North American operations as regional president and CEO.

Sebok, managing director of BBDO's New York office since 2000, succeeds North American CEO Chris Jaques, who exited in January 2007, after just three months in the role.

At WPP Group's Y&R, Sebok will oversee some 1,800 staffers at six offices in the U.S and Canada: New York, Chicago, Detroit, Irvine, Calif., San Francisco and Toronto. He will be based in New York and start in early May.

Y&R worldwide CEO Hamish McLennan described Sebok as an "experienced and inspired client leader" who has worked across an "incredible range of industries and brands." Added McLennan: "He has spent his career building and leading great teams that deliver great work."

At Omnicom Group's BBDO, Sebok worked with clients such as Lowe's, Campbell Soup Co., Pepsi, FedEx, Pizza Hut and Motorola. Before BBDO, he spent three years at Interpublic Group's Ammirati Puris Lintas here, where he was an executive vice president and managing director.

Earlier in his career, Sebok held account posts at Grey and Y&R, where he worked from August 1987 to February 1992.

In a statement, Sebok said he has "always sustained a deep respect and love" for Y&R, adding that it's a "special thrill to come back and help build momentum here."

Sebok, 44, will become part of a management team that includes McLennan -- to whom he reports -- and incoming worldwide cd Tony Granger, who's also expected to start in early May.