Siegel+Gale Names David Srere and Howard Belk Co-CEOs of Global Strategic Branding Firm, Further Solidifying Strategic / Creative Integration

NEW YORK, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Global strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale, www.siegelgale.com, announced today the appointment of Chief Strategy Officer David Srere and Chief Creative Officer Howard Belk to co-chief executive officers.

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The two senior executives assume management responsibility for one of the world's most accomplished strategic branding firms from its founder, Alan Siegel, who has led Siegel+Gale for 40 years as CEO. A pioneer in the concept of brand voice, plain language and simplified communications, Siegel will continue as the firm's chairman and global ambassador of simplicity.

Srere and Belk have served as co-presidents of Siegel+Gale since 2007, sharing operational responsibility and working to integrate the firm's strategic and creative resources to build world-class brands. Under their leadership, global clients, such as American Express, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, LexisNexis, Motorola, Penske, Pfizer and SAP have experienced the "Simple is Smart" philosophy that distinguishes Siegel+Gale from its competitors.

"I am confident that David and Howard will lead Siegel+Gale to the next level of brand innovation," said Siegel. "They bring the perfect balance of strategic brainpower and creative elegance that distinguishes everything we do. By sharing CEO responsibilities, each can continue his hands-on work helping clients build clear, credible, compelling brands through elegantly simple strategies, communications and experiences."

In just three years, Srere and Belk have worked with Siegel to propel the firm's unprecedented growth. Their accomplishments include: re-opening Siegel+Gale London; launching offices in Dubai and Shanghai; building a presence in San Francisco; introducing new research products; and establishing a Dynamic Media practice that integrates the firm's expertise in simplification, digital communications, information design and usability testing.

Srere and Belk share a close, effective working relationship that reflects a strong personal respect for each other's talents. "Howard Belk provides a unique combination of imagination and business sense that inspires creative people, engenders the respect of clients and drives exceptional work," says Srere. "David Srere not only has one of the keenest strategic minds in the business, but he also truly believes in the synergies of strategy and design," adds Belk.

Howard Belk joined Siegel+Gale in 2004 as chief creative officer, was named co-managing director of the New York office in 2006 and co-president in 2007. In managing the firm's creative disciplines, Belk has led teams to create bold visual systems and corporate identities for diverse global clients, including Allstate, Free Library of Philadelphia, Intelsat, King Abdullah University, LexisNexis, Motorola, New School University, Pfizer, Qatar Telecom, SunTrust Bank and Tata Consultancy Services.

Since joining the firm in 1998, David Srere served in a variety of strategic roles before becoming co-managing director of Siegel+Gale's New York office, where his partnership with Howard Belk began. He has served as the company's chief strategy officer since 2007, and his branding experience spans an international and multidisciplinary spectrum, including engagements with American Express, Motorola, SAP, CBS, AARP, Dominion Energy Resources, SunTrust Banks, Comcast and Dell.

Alan Siegel has served as Siegel+Gale's CEO since founding the firm in 1969. Over the next 40 years, he maintained his leadership position at Siegel+Gale and within the industry as the sole remaining founder of one of the earliest strategic branding firms. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently honored Siegel's legacy as a leading force in the branding community, declaring October 16, 2009 as Siegel+Gale Day in New York.

About Siegel+Gale

Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) is one of the world's premier strategic branding companies and a pioneer in simplifying complex customer communications. Since it was founded by Alan Siegel in 1969, the firm has applied the art and science of simplicity to create branding programs that have helped many of the world's best-known organizations excel. Driven by its philosophy of "Simple is Smart," Siegel+Gale has led the way in bringing innovation to the corporate branding field, including transforming complex, incomprehensible customer communications into plain English; helping clients create distinctive brand voices across all their communications; transporting brands onto the Internet; and aligning the brand experience with the brand promise.

The firm's clients include AARP, Aetna, American Express, Bank of America, Dell, The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, The Internal Revenue Service, Lexus, Merrill Lynch, 3M, Microsoft, Motorola, the National Basketball Association, Pfizer and Sony PlayStation. Siegel+Gale has offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai and strategic partnerships around the world.

Siegel+Gale is part of the Omnicom Group Inc. (www.omnicomgroup.com), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms serve over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE Siegel+Gale