Shelley Lazarus, CEO of The Ogilvy Group, is stepping aside after more than a decade in the job.
Lazarus, 61, who will remain as CEO through yearend, will retain her role as chairman—a position she’s held since 1997. In it, she will help the agency develop client relationships. Lazarus has been with Ogilvy for 30 years. She held a number of executive posts starting in 1991 and became CEO in 1996.
Miles Young, chairman of Ogilvy Group’s Asia Pacific division, will replace Lazarus as global CEO effective Jan. 1. As the new chief, Young, 53, will focus on integrating new technologies into the company’s strategy, the agency said.
For the last 13 years, Young has run Ogilvy in the Asia Pacific region. He is credited with doubling revenue in that group to $500 million a year over the last five years, doubling the size of the business. He joined Ogilvy www.ogilvy.com/ in 1983.
Prior to that, Young began his marketing career in the early 1980s working in advertising at Lintas and Allen, Brady & Marsh. After joining Ogilvy in 1983, leading the agency’s Ogilvy’s Direct operations in Europe later as chairman.
“Shelly has done a fantastic job as brand guardian of Ogilvy, building a first-class client roster and driving the company to fully embrace integrated marketing under 360 Degree Brand Stewardship, and has taken Ogilvy from a strong position, both geographically and functionally, to a superb position,” WPP CEO Martin Sorrell said in a statement. “She’ll be an extremely difficult act to follow.”
The Ogilvy Group is a group of companies, which also includes OgilvyAction, the brand activation arm of firm.
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