O&M seeks Euro media Network chief executive

Ogilvy & Mather is looking externally for a global media director and a European media chief executive to run its rejigged media operations.

Ogilvy & Mather is looking externally for a global media director and a European media chief executive to run its rejigged media operations.

O&M Media in the UK and all the media departments across Europe are to be rebranded as The Network from January 1, 1996.

The Network will have a board headed by a chief executive, yet to be appointed. Mandy Pooler, managing director of the UK’s media operation, and David Baldwin, general manager of Ogilvy Media Europe, are not applying for the post.

Meanwhile, O&M global chief executive Charlotte Beers has approached at least two top UK industry figures for the role of O&M global media director.

O&M has also recruited new media directors to run regional markets across Europe, including Adam Swan from Initiative Vienna to head the operation in Eastern Europe and Peter Lagaard from Media Centralen in Denmark for Scandinavia.

Pooler says the change reflects a feeling that having O&M in the media company’s name hinted at a lack of commitment to media: “Investing in a separate company signals we’re serious about media.”

She denied the move had any implications for The Media Partnership (TMP), the European media buying club comprising O&M’s sister WPP agency, J Walter Thomson, DDB Needham Worldwide and BBDO Worldwide.

However, sources maintain that WPP chief executive Martin Sorrell is weighing his media options, including forming a global WPP media operation or putting TMP, currently based on agreements, on an equity footing.