Enterprise moves UK head to top European position

Enterprise IG, which claims to be the world’s biggest design group, has promoted UK chief executive Patrick Smith to the newly created role of chief executive for Europe.

Smith’s UK function will be filled by John Mathers, previously group managing director.

At the same time, the group, which is part of WPP Group, has set up a worldwide management team under the chairmanship of global chief executive Dave Allen.

The team will look at how Enterprise can get more business out of its multinational clients and also how cross-border projects can be most effectively co-ordinated. Enterprise IG has offices in 24 countries and works for clients such as BP, Coca-Cola, Disney, Ford, GlaxoSmithKline, Guinness UDV and Nike.

Increasingly, multinational clients are seeking to appoint agency groups that can service their needs around the world, rather than go with local agencies in different territories or countries.

As European chief executive, Smith will be in charge of 450 staff in nine countries and will have direct responsibility for leading client development in each country.

Smith joined Enterprise in 1997 from the European Design Register, a design industry “marriage broker” that he co-founded. Before that, he was with Grey Advertising.