- Andrew McMains

NEW YORK Cliff Freeman and Partners has replaced Jeff McClelland, the agency's CEO since late 2005, with Clayton Ruebensaal III, a senior account director at BBDO.

Ruebensaal, 34, will start Dec. 1. At BBDO here, he worked on accounts such as Sony Electronics and The Economist. He spent five years at the Omnicom Group shop and before becoming an account leader, he was a planning director on Pepsi, Aquafina, the Department of Homeland Security and E-Trade.

"Clayton's unique background in strategy and management will impact our client's business immediately," said Cliff Freeman, chairman and chief creative officer at the MDC Partners' shop. "That's what we looked for and that's what we got."

Cliff Freeman hired McClelland in November 2005. At the time, the CEO position was new.

On his watch, Cliff Freeman won accounts such as Quiznos, Baskin-Robbins and Bonefish Grill and lost others, including Shoney's Restaurants and Snapple, which in October shifted to Deutsch/LA in Marina del Rey, Calif., after a review.

Before Cliff Freeman, McClelland was managing director of Dentsu's Oasis in New York. Earlier in his career, he was a senior partner and md at Ogilvy & Mather's Brand Integration Group.

Reflecting on his years at Cliff Freeman, McClelland said he was proud of its increased visability, great ideas and "media-agnostic attitude" as well as a "hybrid mentality" among its leaders, who now "approach things with a 360-degree view."

He added that "while I'm disappointed with Cliff's decision, I had the opportunity to work for one of the industry's legends and had a chance to 'make another run' for Cliff."

BBDO intends to fill Ruebensaal's senior account director role, most likely from within, said John Osborn, president and CEO of the New York office. (BBDO New York employs some 15 senior account directors.) In the meantime, Osborn will absorb the duties.