Cohn & Wolfe Appoints Kazumi Mechling to Lead Los Angeles Office

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohn & Wolfe, a leading global communications agency, has appointed Kazumi Mechling as President and Market Leader for Cohn & Wolfe Los Angeles. Kazumi joins Cohn & Wolfe from Waggener-Edstrom where she was Executive Vice President and Consumer Marketing Practice Leader. She assumes the role from Patricia Godefroy who was recently named Chief Branding Officer for Cohn & Wolfe.

As Market Leader, Kazumi will manage the office's day-to-day operations, client service and business development activities.  She will report directly to CEO Donna Imperato. The Los Angeles office is one of the largest in Cohn & Wolfe's global network, and serves major global brands including Walmart, Hilton Hotels, Taco Bell, Pioneer Electronics, Mattel, Ubisoft and Blu-Ray among others. It is also the headquarters for the agency's global Creative Catalyst Network, a worldwide collection of creative directors.

"Kazumi brings a tremendous track record of leadership and achievement to Cohn & Wolfe," said Donna Imperato. "She's been remarkably successful at every step of her career. Her appointment ensures that our vital LA office will continue to thrive and deliver world-class communications programs."  

"I'm thrilled to join Cohn & Wolfe and lead one of the most talented and dynamic offices in the industry," said Mechling. "This is a great opportunity to work with some of the best brands in the world, and be a part of an agency with an inspiring vision for the future."

Kazumi has more than 20 years of marketing and public relations agency and in-house experience working with leading global brands such as Disney, IBM, Microsoft, The Gap, Canon, Tag Heuer, Ericsson and T-Mobile. She's a proven leader and a successful entrepreneur having founded and eventually sold her own PR firm, MediaWorks based in Tokyo, to Edelman in 1995.  She continued to lead Edelman Japan until her return to the U.S. market in 1998.  Prior to leading Waggener-Edstrom's Consumer Marketing Practice, she ran its West Coast operations and helped the agency expand into Asia as part of its Asia Pacific Leadership Team.  Before joining Waggener-Edstrom, she was Senior Vice President and General Manager for Blanc & Otus Public Relations' Austin office (a Hill & Knowlton company).  She also served as Executive Director of Business Development and Marketing for Niehaus Ryan Wong, Inc. in San Francisco.

About Cohn & Wolfe

Cohn & Wolfe is a strategic public relations agency dedicated to creating, building and protecting the world's most prolific brands. With offices around the world, the agency is committed to breaking new ground in the delivery of cross-channel media strategies, creative programming, and practice area excellence.  

Cohn & Wolfe is recognized year after year by clients and the industry for excellence in creativity, client service, digital communications, media strategy, senior management and strategic counsel. Cohn & Wolfe also consistently ranks among the top "Best Agencies to Work For" in an annual, industry-wide employee survey. For more information, visit: www.cohnwolfe.com. Cohn & Wolfe is part of WPP (Nasdaq: WPPGY), one of the world's largest communications services group.

SOURCE Cohn & Wolfe