Kaplan Thaler Adds Planning Chief

With an estimated $140 million in new business to digest this year, the Kaplan Thaler Group last week hired its first group director of planning and research.

Chris Wauton, 50, a consultant for the past two years, has held planning posts at Saatchi & Saatchi and AMV BBDO in London, WestWayne in Atlanta and Mullen in Wenham, Mass. He worked with Publicis Groupe’s Kaplan Thaler on its successful pitch for Pfizer’s Zoloft in July.

The British-born Wauton reports to the New York shop’s CMO and general manager, Robin Koval, who said he will help guide original thinking.