PHD Lands GroupM Vet Andrew McLean for US CEO Role

NEW YORK, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- PHD US, an Omnicom Media Group (OMG) company, has named GroupM Worldwide Chief Business Development Officer Andrew McLean as its new US CEO. McLean, who was named a 2010 Innovator of the Year by Internationalist magazine, succeeds Scott Hagedorn, who has been tapped to lead OMG's new digital-data and analytics company, Annalect.

With experience in virtually every aspect of the media industry – content and channels, agency and client, regional and global – and a track record for driving growth, McLean is a singularly apt choice for an agency that in the past year has significantly expanded its offer and created some of the industry's the most innovative, honored and effective media campaigns.

"In filling this role, we wanted a leader whose qualifications went beyond innovation and vision, to the more exacting standard of innovation informed by vision that is at the core of PHD's Better Way brand promise," says Page Thompson, CEO, OMG North America. "Over the course of his career, Andrew has demonstrated time and again that he not only understands this difference -- he exemplifies it." Thompson adds that in addition to the CEO role, McLean will join him on the OMG US management team.

McLean began his media career in publishing before entering the agency business as a television buyer in the late 1980s.  Rising to a lead position at DMB&B's UK operation, he oversaw accounts like Burger King and Procter & Gamble.  An offer from Disney in the mid 1990s led to a five year tour of duty highlighted by successful campaigns for blockbusters like The Lion King, Toy Story and Armageddon, and overseeing the company's consolidate media business.

Moving back to the agency world in 1999, McLean was asked by Young and Rubicam to join their then fledgling media operation, The Media Edge, in New York, and he was a key player in the merger with CIA that led to the creation of Mediaedge:cia. For nearly a decade, McLean was MEC's most senior client leader, managing US and Global client teams and leading a period of unprecedented growth.  In January 2009 he was promoted to Chief Development Officer for GroupM and named a member of their Global Executive Committee.

Explaining the perspective from which he will approach his new role at PHD, Mclean said. "Today, despite all the fragmentation and change, the challenge for media agencies remains the same as it has always been – to understand our clients' business dynamics, and define the role media plays in driving growth and a sustainable competitive advantage," says McLean.  "Doing this requires the best and brightest talent within our clients and our agencies – people who have a passion for media and understand the unique and increasingly integral role it has in the consumer's life today.  I'm delighted to say that these are the exactly the type of clients and people that I see at PHD."

As he establishes himself with that group, McLean can count on the endorsement of his predecessor, Scott Hagedorn.  

"Over the past year, we've been building a framework for the future," says Hagedorn, "investing in tools, talent and strategic partnerships that have real world implications for our clients' businesses," says Hagedorn.  "Andrew has the right mix of experience, perspective and passion needed to keep that forward momentum.  He is absolutely the right choice at the right time.  I look forward to working with Andrew to seamlessly transition our client relationships"

McLean's appointment will be effective December 1.

ABOUT PHD

Founded in London in 1990 as the first strategic media agency, PHD (www.phdnetwork.com) is a proven innovator in communications design and execution serving clients in over 60 countries.

The PHD Network is part of the Omnicom Media Group (www.omnicommediagroup.com), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com). Omnicom is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, media, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE PHD US