Mediaedge:cia Shuffles UK Management Team

NEW YORK Rob Norman, the CEO of UK-based interactive shop Outrider Worldwide, has been named chairman of WPP’s Mediaedge:cia’s group of British companies, including Mediaedge:cia London and Manchester, BJK&E, Mediahead, Purely Media, Outrider, Conzept and Total Sponsorship.

This follows the departure of UK CEO Fiona McAnena, who plans to join sister-WPP company, Kantar, as development director at the end of the month.

Outrider was previously part of Tempus Group, which was bought by WPP in Nov. 2001. As a result of the acquisition, Tempus properties such as CIA, its media buying arm, and Outrider were merged with existing WPP companies.

Norman has been with the company for 17 years. In his new role, he will be supported by the UK Group Board of Directors, which includes: Dominic Grainger (Regional CEO, EMEA) and Nigel Seddon (Finance Director, UK). In addition, Mandy Pooler, CEO of WPP’s The Channel, the group’s knowledge and inter-company collaboration center, joins the board as a non-executive director.

McAnena’s new role is intended to build on her marketing consultancy background and on her previous experience as CEO of Added Value Europe, now part of Kantar.