R/GA has hired Russell Davies, a top planner at Ogilvy, to help build out the planning practice at its London office, the agency announced Wednesday.
Davies, who’ll be the first head of planning at R/GA London, spent less than a year as Ogilvy’s planning chief for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. At his new gig, he’ll report to Jim Moffatt, the managing director of R/GA London, and William Charnock, R/GA’s global chief strategy officer.
R/GA has been expanding aggressively, including bolstering its strategic offerings, and Davies’ hiring follows last week’s news that the agency is opening its second European office in Stockholm. The London office consists of more than 100 staffers, with a “small” planning team that Davies will be overseeing and growing, the agency says. R/GA also intends to open another satellite in Bucharest, chairman Bob Greenberg said at Cannes this week, according to MediaPost.
Davies’ move from Ogilvy to R/GA also reflects the blurring line between traditional and digital shops, with talent regularly crossing over in both directions. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Davies was working as a consultant for clients and agencies. His resume includes nine years at Wieden + Kennedy, as well as a stint at Nike.
