Shelly Lazarus, who has led WPP-owned ad agency network Ogilvy Group for 11 years, will be leaving her post as global CEO on January 1, 2009, WPP has said. She will remain chairman of the company.
Lazarus will be succeeded by Miles Young, currently chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Asia Pacific.
Young, who has a background in both advertising and direct marketing, has headed Ogilvy in Asia Pacific for the past 13 years. Business in this region during the past five years has almost doubled in size, reaching $500 million in revenue.
Before moving to Asia in 1995, Young had 12 years experience in Europe. He began his marketing career in advertising at Lintas & Allen and Brady & Marsh before joining Ogilvy & Mather. He eventually became chairman of Ogilvy’s direct operations in Europe.
Young “brings to the role of CEO a deep understanding, not only of European and Asian markets, but also of the role that new technologies — and integrated thinking,” said WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, in a statement.
