Former Starcom chief becomes part-time consultant with Carat

Mark Cranmer, the former chief of Starcom Europe and Research International, is joining Carat as a consultant.

Cranmer is expected to work across parent group Aegis Media but will focus on planning and buying agency Carat. The part-time position will form part of a portfolio of consultancy roles that Cranmer is exp-ected to announce over the coming weeks.

He will work alongside Aegis Media chief executive Nigel Sharrocks and Carat managing director Neil Jones. It is not clear what his title will be but he is expected to take a hands-on approach across the agency.

Sharrocks says that Cranmer has been briefed to look at “everything” Carat is doing and bring “fresh energy” to the business.

Carat restructured 18 months ago into six client-facing business units. The operational restructure created multidiscipline teams uniting digital, direct and consumer insight alongside the core services of communications planning and media buying.

Cranmer adds that he has admired Carat “as a competitor” and hopes to play a “vital” role in the management team to “realise the company and team’s ambitions”.

He announced his departure from WPP-owned Research International last summer, leaving the research company in December. Cranmer joined as worldwide chief executive in March 2006.

Previously, Cranmer was Starcom MediaVest Group chief executive for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Cranmer announced he was stepping down in July 2005 after five years in the role but did not leave the Publicis-owned media agency until the following year.

He has also worked at Lowe Howard-Spink, was managing director of BBDO and joined Bartle Bogle Hegarty as strategic development director in 1993, where he helped set up Motive.

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