Grey Taps Exec to Guide Growth

NEW YORK Grey worldwide CEO Jim Heekin has put the final member of his senior management team in place, promoting Chris Rich to the new position of chief growth officer of the agency network. Rich, 39, had been evp, account management at Grey, working primarily on the Bell South and Nokia accounts. In an agency memo, Heekin wrote, "Our ability to compete and win new clients is a key measure of our creative vitality and financial progress. Chris will be charged with re-engineering our business development efforts to become: strategic in our approach to growth, aggressive in outreach, inclusive in marshalling our resources across all partner companies and organized to win." Chris Shumaker spearheaded Grey's new business efforts before Heekin joined the agency in September 2005. He was hired by then Grey North America CEO Steve Blamer. In January, Shumaker joined Interpublic Group's Foote Cone & Belding in the top new business role and reports to FCB Worldwide CEO Blamer. Part of Rich's immediate responsibilities at Grey will be to familiarize search consultants with the shop's new leadership and structure.Rich is the most recent addition to Heekin's senior executive team. Late last year, he hired former top McCann Erickson planners Nat Puccio and Suresh Nair, with whom he had worked when he was CEO of IPG's McCann Worldgroup and before that at WPP Group's JWT. Grey is also owned by WPP. Heekin also knows Rich from their days at McCann Erickson and JWT. Rich worked on Bass Ale, Rolling Rock, Dos Equis and Sprint at the former and on Bell Atlantic, Unilever and Warner-Lambert at the latter.Additionally, Heekin has hired former FCB Europe CEO Scott Hollingsworth as evp, regional director of Grey Latin America, effective in mid-March. Hollingsworth, 56, will report to Heekin and be based in Miami. He will be headquartered in Miami, also effective in mid-March. Hollingsworth also ran FCB Latin America for six years.In a statement, Heekin said, "Scott Hollingsworth has compiled a tremendous record of success: driving significant new business growth, directing strategic acquisitions, recruiting outstanding talent, serving the needs of leading clients, multinational and regional, and championing both an integrated offering and an energized creative product."In addition to Grey's traditional advertising offering, Hollingsworth will oversee Grey Synchronized Partners, which includes G2, Grey Direct and Grey Interactive in the 18 Latin American countries. Grey's top clients include Procter & Gamble, BellSouth, Darden Restaurants, Nokia and Diageo.

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Grey Taps Exec to Guide Growth

Kathleen Sampey

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Kathleen Sampey