Initiative appoints Hill to strategic role as part of global restructure

Initiative UK and Ireland chief executive and joint European chief operating officer Jerry Hill has taken the newly-created role of global strategic development director for Initiative.

The move follows the retirement of Initiative Worldwide chairman and chief executive Alec Gerster at the beginning of this month.

Richard Beaven, the chairman and chief executive of Initiative North America, has since replaced him (MW.co.uk, January 21).

In other new appointments, Sue Moseley, managing director of Initiatives Futures, is also being promoted to head of global Futures to oversee research projects.

Both Moseley and Hill’s roles are believed to be part of a wider global restructure of the Initiative board. Janet Fitzpatrick, the chief strategic officer for Initiative Worldwide, based in the US, will also take up the role of global communications planning director.

Separately, Graham Duff, who has already been running the InterPublic Group-owned Universal McCann and Initiative across Europe, Middle East and Africa, is moving the Initiative offices in London into the same building as UM, as part of a cost-cutting exercise to offset recent account losses.

Last summer Initiative lost the pan-European Johnson & Johnson business, a huge blow for the network.

It lost General Motors – one of its biggest clients in 2006 – and Credit Suisse last year. The J&J decision was, however, mixed for IPG as a whole, with UM retaining its North American business.

Initiative London will continue to be led by managing director Gary Birtles, and Universal will be led by chief executive Andy Jones. Both report to Duff.

Nick Brien, the worldwide chief executive of Universal McCann, has already takena global role across the two networks (MW December 6, 2007).