Creative, Marketing and Innovation Appointments Drive Growth and Multi-Channel Ideas for Ogilvy

NEW YORK, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- John Seifert, Chairman & CEO of Ogilvy & Mather North America announced a series of executive appointments that put a new generation of leadership in place -- in key creative, marketing and innovation roles -- that reflect how Ogilvy will seize on the dramatic opportunities in marketing today to drive multidisciplinary growth for the agency and its clients across North America.  

The announcements include the appointment of Chief Digital Creative Officer Lars Bastholm to the additional post of Chief Creative Officer of O&M New York. Additionally, Lauren Crampsie is moving to the new post of Chief Marketing Officer for O&M North America from Director of Business Development and Dan Burrier to the new post of Chief Innovation Officer for North America from Chief Creative Officer of O&M West.

"Our business is in the midst of unprecedented transformation that demands a new generation of leaders who embrace the market challenges of the times, work collaboratively across disciplines and channels, and have vision to create big ideas for us and our clients," explained Mr. Seifert.  "Lars, Lauren and Dan are leaders who exemplify new age thinking."

In connection with his new role, Mr. Bastholm said: "I have long been of the belief that to do truly great work for our clients, we need to end the debate about which channels we are using, once and for all.  Moving forward, our focus will remain on creating work that make consumers talk about and fall in love with the brands our clients have entrusted us with. No matter where or how they might encounter those brands."

In his new role, Bastholm will be positioned to take this strategy even further, and will partner with Simon Pearce, Managing Director of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising in New York.  Together they will be charged with collaborating with the business and creative leaders across OgilvyOne, OgilvyAction, Ogilvy Public Relations, RedWorks, and OgilvyHealthworld to deliver on the agency's promise of specialist discipline expertise combined with deep integration where clients demand it.

"Lars is a world-class talent and he will not only help us build our clients brands but will spearhead our creative firepower in New York and beyond," said Tham Khai Meng, Ogilvy's Worldwide Creative Director and Chairman Worldwide Creative Council. Khai added that, "As a creative's 'creative', Lars is a magnet for great talent."

Mr. Seifert noted that Lauren Crampsie's promotion to CMO also supports O&M's multidisciplinary team approach: "Her success in driving our new business strategy is of even greater value to helping us show how our leadership across disciplines and through insight driven creativity can help all our clients succeed in today's marketplace."

In her new role, Ms. Crampsie will work with Mr. Seifert and the North American leadership team throughout the region to develop agency growth and marketing strategies. She will continue to oversee new business while promoting thought leadership, creativity and marketing effectiveness though all Ogilvy disciplines.  

"John has revitalized O&M's leadership and given its disciplines a strategy for growth that is already garnering positive results," said Ms. Crampsie. "I am thrilled to be part of his team and to be entrusted to represent one of the greatest agency brands."

Both Mr. Bastholm and Ms. Crampsie played significant roles in the agency's recent win of the IKEA account; part of a hot-streak of new business wins for Ogilvy & Mather including CDW, Citizen's Bank, UPS and the newly announced Intercontinental Hotels Group.

In discussing the newly created post of Chief Innovation Officer for North America, Mr. Seifert explained, "David Ogilvy's legacy is one of innovation. Our agency has followed this path and has continued to embrace change and experimentation.  This role is so critical to Ogilvy's evolution that I felt we needed to have someone dedicated to seeking out the opportunities of the future.  Dan Burrier has the insatiable curiosity that stirred David's passion for writing new rules of marketing. He's the ideal leader to help connect Ogilvy's innovation initiatives."

In his new role, Mr. Burrier will represent North America in the agency's Global Strategy & Innovation practice which was launched last year and is headed by Carla Hendra. Peter Kang and Jeff Compton who were recently named by Dan as Co-Creative Heads for O&M West will assume greater creative oversight for Ogilvy's creative work across the West.

In commenting on his new role, Mr. Burrier said, "We have so much talent and so many tools at our disposal today—whether thru embracing new technologies, disciplines, media, sciences and arts, or creating them ourselves—the key is how we unlock all of this, connect it and move forward with solutions that surprise, delight and create market results. It's a bit of alchemy known as innovation."

"Recruiting leaders of the future across our regional network while growing the great talent we have is my top priority," adds Mr. Seifert. "We have been fortunate to attract some of the industry's most highly regarded executives. And, as Lars, Lauren and Dan demonstrate, our bench is deep with agents of change."

Recent additions to Ogilvy & Mather's senior ranks include Colin Drummond as Head of Planning for Ogilvy & Mather West from Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, David Hernandez as Managing Director of OgilvyOne and Executive Creative Director in Chicago from Tribal DDB, and Ben Richards as Worldwide Head of Planning & Integration from Naked.

Steve Hayden, Global Vice Chairman for Ogilvy & Mather noted: "I've worked with Lars, Dan and Lauren in their former roles and feel that their new appointments demonstrate a new direction for Ogilvy. In winning the IKEA account, Lars brought together all the traditional and digital skills needed to build and define a modern brand.  Dan, who's best known for his Cisco work, has always reached beyond the traditional remit of a creative director and brought innovation to the structure of the business, not just award-winning work.  And Lauren has already built the Ogilvy brand, winning more new business for us in the past four months than we have in the past four years."

About Ogilvy & Mather

Ogilvy & Mather is one of the largest marketing communications companies in the world. Through its specialty units, the company provides a comprehensive range of marketing services including: advertising; public relations and public affairs; shopper and retail marketing; healthcare communications; direct, digital, promotion, relationship marketing and digital production. Ogilvy & Mather services Fortune Global 500 companies as well as local businesses through its network of more than 450 offices in 120 countries. It is a WPP company (NASDAQ: WPPGY).  For more information, visit www.ogilvy.com.

SOURCE Ogilvy & Mather