M&C Saatchi is hunting for a senior executive in an effort to put
extra muscle into its new-business drive.
The agency wants to upgrade the role after the forthcoming departure of
Fleur McNally, its new-business manager, who is returning to New
York.
The newcomer, who may be given the title of marketing director, will be
expected to draw up a long-term new-business strategy for the UK’s
sixth-ranking shop.
With Maurice Saatchi and the other agency founding partners, David
Kershaw and Bill Muirhead, heavily involved in new business, the
day-to-day new-business function has not had high priority.
Now the agency is looking for a senior figure, probably a new-business
chief at another agency, to take over the job.
McNally, a former staffer at M&C Saatchi in New York, was appointed
new-business manager in London six months ago, having previously held
the job on a temporary basis.
Moray MacLennan, the agency’s joint chief executive, said: ’We’re in a
different position from most other agencies because we have a number of
senior managers who are well known and give us a well-defined
image.’
He added: ’The days of cold-calling are gone. We want someone with a
different approach and a different list of industry contacts.’