Robert Harwood-Matthews Appointed President at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York

NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA today announced the appointment of Robert Harwood-Matthews to the role of President, TBWA\Chiat\Day, New York.

Harwood-Matthews, 41, is currently the President of TBWA UK Group and has been with the TBWA network for almost ten years in a number of network offices. For the past three years, he has been leading the London office and has enjoyed recent success as an instrumental part of the team behind new business wins including BEKO, Aquafresh, EA Games, GAME, Four Seasons and Pernod Ricard Premium Wines.

He first joined TBWA London in 2002, working on multi-award winning accounts, Nissan and PlayStation. He then spent three years heading up TBWA Manchester.  

After Manchester, Harwood-Matthews joined TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles as the global managing director for Infiniti. He returned to the UK in 2009 as the President of the group, reorganizing and restructuring the agencies, launching BEING and Integer UK.

Commenting on the move, Harwood-Matthews said, "I am really excited to be returning to the US and to the enormous potential that lies within TBWA\Chiat\Day, New York. I'd like to build a strong modern network offer for our clients and a strong, diverse and creative culture within. It's an incredible opportunity."

Harwood-Matthews will report to President and CEO of TBWA Worldwide, Tom Carroll.

Carroll commented, "Robert has everything TBWA in New York needs. He knows the network well, has a great track record and the energy levels that New York loves. He has turned around two offices and knows where the industry is going. With Robert, the new head of planning, Ed Castillo, and CCO Mark Figliulo, we have a very strong management team in place."

Harwood-Matthews replaces Jamie Gallo, who departed the agency in June, for a role at the NBA.

In London, advertising veteran and respected TV, radio and film writer, Peter Souter, 49, will make his return to the advertising industry, joining TBWA as the Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of TBWA UK Group.

Souter, who was with AMV BBDO for 17 years, departed the advertising scene in 2008 to focus on his writing for television, specifically, a series he had commissioned by ITV, "Married, Single, Other." His advertising credentials include iconic work for brands such as BT, Sainsbury's, Walkers, The National Lottery, Guinness, Dulux and the BBC.

TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) creates Disruptive ideas expressed through Media Arts for global clients, including ABSOLUT, adidas, Apple, Energizer, GSK, Henkel, Infiniti, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pfizer, Roche, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore Airlines and Visa. TBWA is ranked as a Top-Ten worldwide advertising agency, and was recognized by Advertising Age in 2010 as the "Best International Network of the Decade." Fast Company magazine placed TBWA 24th on its 2009 list of "The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies" and as an Innovation All-Star in 2010. TBWA has 274 offices in 100 countries, and over 11,000 employees worldwide.

TBWA is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE TBWA