Change of Command at JWT

What a difference a month makes. In the same New York space where JWT staffers toasted a successful 2009 a month before -- at a lavish cocktail party that included WPP Group CEO Martin Sorrell -- JWT worldwide CEO Bob Jeffrey last week acknowledged the loss of North American leaders Rosemarie Ryan and Ty Montague.He spoke briefly about their contributions to the agency -- neither was present for the meeting -- and sought to reassure staffers before handing off to David Eastman, the agency's new North American CEO.Staffers were said to be stunned by the turn of events considering the agency's recent success -- much of it tied to explosive growth in its Microsoft relationship, which began two years ago with a single assignment and now supplies an estimated $50 million in annual worldwide revenue. Ryan, president of North America, and Montague, co-president and CCO, were integral to landing and growing that client, and their decision to leave and start their own agency puts pressure on Jeffrey and Eastman to fill the void.In January, Microsoft's Mich Mathews was ebullient in her praise of Ryan and Montague, describing them as an "extraordinary combination" and "like an old married couple that finishes each other's sentences and kind of [knows] where one another is going, but are so distinct and different that it really is one plus one equals four." On Friday, Mathews, svp of Microsoft's Central Marketing Group, declined to comment when asked what she thought about the partners striking out on their own.Although Ryan, 47, and Montague, 46, have been plotting their new venture since last year, according to sources, few inside JWT were privy to their plans. So, when word of their decisions to leave surfaced last week "there was shock," said a source. "Nobody [saw] it coming [because] they were so defined by the place."Another source at the agency acknowledged the difficulty of replacing a duo that brought new energy, talent and results to JWT. "It's going to be a big hole" to fill, the source said. "David has got a lot of ground to cover."The 46-year-old Eastman assumes the CEO role after 15 months as worldwide digital director. As digital chief, he managed the folding of direct marketing unit RMG into the main agency, which Jeffrey said he accomplished without the drama typically associated with such moves. In addition, Eastman launched a new department to house creative technologists, experience designers, digital strategists and specialists in emerging media and search engine optimization. The "experience department" began last year in New York and this year will spread to London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sao Paolo.Colleagues described Eastman (pictured) -- the onetime worldwide CEO of Omnicom Group's Agency.com -- as affable, thoughtful and articulate. "He does have good energy and he cares about people," said a source.In making his appointment, Jeffrey said Eastman had "earned the credibility to be in that role and I think [making a digital executive CEO] sends an important signal from a competitive point of view."While Jeffrey filled the suit job with an insider, he's looking outside to fill the North American creative role. Sources said the search was in its early stages, but Jeffrey has some time because Montague's notice period won't expire until June. Ryan, who had a shorter notice period, will leave at the end of April, said sources.Few details about the Ryan and Montague startup had emerged by the end of last week. The partners are said to be seeking investors and looking at potential office space in New York. They also hired a New York firm to handle public relations for them, said sources.Up until last week, Ryan and Montague had burned the candle at both ends: holding down their day jobs while meeting discreetly after hours to plan their new venture, according to sources. Ryan and Montague did not return several calls.According to sources, even after Ryan and Montague signaled their intention to leave in the fall, Jeffrey tried hard to get them to stay. Sorrell also got involved, even offering to back the startup, said a source. But part of what triggered the move was a desire to break free from the world of big agencies and holding companies, said sources.As one source put it, "Once you come to that kind of decision, it's very hard to turn back." --with Eleftheria Parpis

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Change of Command at JWT

Andrew McMains

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