BOSTON–Interpublic Group agency Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos has reorganized account management in its Boston headquarters, consolidating all business under three groups, each to be headed by an evp/group account director.
Tom Jump will oversee most consumer accounts, including Dunkin’ Donuts, Marshalls, Harvard Pilgrim and Partners Health Care. Jean Manasian will helm high-tech and business-to-business clients such as AMD, Lycos, Broadwing and Storage Networks. Leslee Lenoff, newly promoted to evp, is charged mainly with financial accounts such as FleetBoston, the agency’s largest piece of business, and John Hancock Financial Services, long one of the shop’s showpieces.
The moves were made to “clarify, simplify and strengthen the operation,” said Karen Kaplan, managing director of Hill, Holliday’s Boston office. “We will end up with a flatter account management structure, fewer levels of supervision, and the ability to respond more effectively to the needs of our clients.”
Jump, had previously led the charge on one of the shop’s marquee accounts, the Fidelity Investments business, with whom the agency will part company in September. The shop has had layoffs this year in preparation for the split. Fidelity, which spends $100-120 million annually on ads, has confirmed considering another Boston roster shop, Arnold, for Hill, Holliday’s post as lead agency.
Hill, Holliday has also upped Rita Harris to evp in charge of a new Professional Resources Group, which includes human resources and office administration. Harris had been an svp and has been with the shop nearly 20 years.
Hill, Holliday, which employs about 500 in Boston, — as well as having offices in New York and San Francisco — closed 2000 with nationwide billings near $1 billion.
