-By Andrew McMains

NEW YORK TBWA\Chiat\Day today confirmed hiring former Young & Rubicam Chicago chief creative officer Mark Figliulo as chairman and CCO of the agency's New York office.

The long-anticipated hire puts Figliulo in charge of some 40 creatives across the main agency as well as its digital direct (Tequila) and healthcare marketing units. Also, as chairman, he's expected to play a primary role in business decisions.

Figliulo is arriving as the 200-person shop attempts to rebound from the loss of top client Sprint Nextel last year. Creative defections also have been an issue since former ecd Gerry Graf resigned in January to become CCO at Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi here.

Since then, group creative directors Scott Vitrone and Ian Reichenthal have left to become executive creative directors at WPP Group's Young & Rubicam in New York, copywriter Isaac Silverglate and art director Jeff Anderson have become creative directors at independent Droga5 here, and copywriter Eric Kallman and art director Craig Allen have joined independent Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore.

In an internal e-mail, TBWA North American president Robert LePlae predicted that Figliulo would become a "great asset to the office and the network. He brings tremendous creative credentials, is a strong leader and is a true believer and practitioner in media arts."

Figliulo spent more than eight years at Y&R in Chicago. Since 2005, that office has won seven Cannes Lions -- fourth best among U.S agencies during that period and equal to the total count of TBWA\C\D in New York.

Past colleagues describe the Pratt graduate as talented, charismatic, no-nonsense and at times impatient.

"I am confident that he is going to bring the kind of insight, creative passion and leadership that will define the future of the agency," said Lee Clow, global director of media arts, in a statement that was part of LePlae's e-mail.

Figliulo, 45, could not immediately be reached for comment.