Tom Bury in talks with Advantage

Tom Bury, former chief executive and deputy chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, is understood to be in talks with Advantage about taking a senior role at the InterPublic-owned sports marketing agency.

Tom Bury, former chief executive and deputy chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, is understood to be in talks with Advantage about taking a senior role at the InterPublic-owned sports marketing agency. Bury is tipped to join the company, which is managed outside the Americas by former TBWA International chief Alasdair Ritchie. Bury left O&M in January following a disastrous period in which the agency lost its lead status on the Ford business and the key Guinness account. He had run the UK agency for seven years as managing director and then chief executive, quitting after it emerged he would not be in the running for the new job of UK group chairman. Advantage, with billings of about &£300m, is the second largest sports agency in the world after Mark McCormack’s International Management Group (IMG), with billings of &£750m. Advantage represents sports people – such as tennis star Anna Kournikova – and properties including the ATP Tour. It has more than 500 employees in over 20 countries. The company is owned by Octagon, which offers a global sports marketing service, including TV sales and production, and corporate consultancy work. Before joining O&M, Bury spent five years at Young & Rubicam. Paul Vaughan, senior vice-president of consulting at Advantage, says: “We are not ready to announce any appointments.” Neither Ritchie nor Bury were available for comment.