Several executive-level changes have occurred at McCann Worldgroup’s digital shop MRM//McCann, most prominently the departure of CEO Michael McLaren.
From an agency spokesperson:
“Michael McLaren has decided to leave MRM//McCann, where he served as CEO, to pursue other opportunities. We thank Michael for his commitment and years of dedicated service to the agency. We wish him much personal success. In the interim, Bill Kolb, President, Diversified Agencies, McCann Worldgroup, will oversee Michael’s responsibilities.”
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McLaren was promoted from his role as president of MRM to replace Kolb just over two years ago as the latter moved into a broader chairman/CEO role and eventually got promoted to his current position at the larger McCann Worldgroup in January.
In addition to McLaren’s departure, there will be more changes in the shop’s New York headquarters. The spokesperson writes, “MRM//McCann is making some adjustments in staffing levels and capabilities in its New York office to best service and deliver excellence to our clients.” Regarding the thinking behind the move: “With a presence in multiple hubs across the U.S. we regularly evaluate all our resources to make certain we are strategically positioned and organized for the best possibility of growth, and to ensure we align our needs to the marketplace.”
This news follows our March post on Verizon’s decision to consolidate the digital portion of its FiOS business with Rauxa. It was the latest such shift from the perpetually evolving client, which had previously moved FiOS creative duties from mcgarrybowen to McCann New York without a review and sent a larger share of digital work for its main brand business to R/GA.
Tipsters tell us that several other executives including the head of client services have already left the agency. The McCann spokesperson declined to elaborate on departures beyond McLaren’s but added, “Some good people will be leaving us and we are working with them to ensure the smoothest transition possible.”
Other recent client consolidation moves have favored the McCann organization. Earlier this month, MasterCard confirmed that it had moved more of its digital and social media work to the dedicated agency McCann XBC at the expense of R/GA and VaynerMedia, respectively.