In his new role, Yakob will be expected to leverage the agency's digital offering, working closely with both clients and creative teams. He will report directly to the agency president, Lori Senecal.
Yakob joins McCann Erickson just weeks after the agency appointed AKQA's Alessandra Lariu as its new group creative director.
Yakob said: "I'm looking forward to working with passionate people and the world's largest advertising agency, to explore the future of brand communication."