Chris Hirst, the agency's managing director, will replace Patton as its chief executive. No decision has been made about who will take the vacant managing director role.
The appointments follow confirmation from the network that Carolyn Carter, the president of Grey EMEA, is retiring after 30 years, as first revealed by Campaign in September. She will remain in the role until March 2010.
Patton took over the chief executive role in September 2007. He joined from Sony Europe, where he was the senior vice-president of marketing communications. In his new role, he will have responsibility for more than 80 offices.
Hirst joined Grey as managing director in 2003, after stints at Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Fallon.
