Ogilvy announced a pair of executive appointments ahead of the holiday weekend.
The agency appointed Philip Heimann (pictured right) to the new role of worldwide chief marketing and growth officer, and promoted David Ford to worldwide chief communications officer. Both Ford and Heimann will report directly to Ogilvy worldwide CEO John Seifert.
“In this extraordinary time, I am thrilled to have these leaders driving our growth initiatives and brand reputation efforts. Over the past 12 years Philip has become a trusted advisor to the C-suites of our most admired client marketers because he has proven that creativity is the engine that drives transformation and effectiveness for their businesses. He is also a passionate advocate for the Ogilvy brand and will be an incredible catalyst for growth as we further diversify our client portfolio,” Seifert said in a statement. “David has worked on the front lines of some of the media industry’s most demanding assignments. He has brought a fresh perspective to our leadership team and we are fortunate to have someone with his diverse experience and range of expertise stepping into this role.”
In the new chief marketing and growth officer role, Heimann will be responsible for overseeing and accelerating Ogilvy’s marketing and new business efforts. An agency veteran of nearly a dozen years, Heimann most recently served as WPP brand lead for the SC Johnson account. Over the years, he has led teams working for clients such as Coca-Cola, Dove, Harvey Nichols, Netflix and Volkswagen.
“I believe creativity has no borders and that it is the rich breadth and depth of our talent around the world that makes Ogilvy a transformative partner to our clients,” Heimann said in a statement. “I’m incredibly excited—and proud—to have the chance to partner more deeply with our global creative network to show the incredible value they deliver.”
In his expanded role, Ford (pictured left) will be responsible for all of Ogilvy’s global internal and external communications activity, as well as supporting content development and activation across all Ogilvy channels globally. He will also join the core network leadership team for Ogilvy’s global PR and influence capability.
Ford joined Ogilvy to lead corporate communications in the U.S. last year, following five years at Univision’s English-language media division, Fusion Media Group, most recently serving as svp, corporate communications and PR. Prior to that, he spent four years as senior director of publicity for ABC News.
“Ogilvy’s unmatched ability to deliver creative ideas that work together and add up to meaningful outcomes for clients has never been more relevant,” Ford said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to work with the incredibly talented people across our global network to spotlight their diverse expertise and amplify the reach of the work they do to make our clients brands matter.”