CEO of Y&R North America Chris Jaques Leaves
Had Taken Post in September
By Lisa Sanders
Published: January 22, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Chris Jaques, named CEO of Y&R North America in September, is leaving the agency. Hamish McLennan, CEO of Y&R, in June had picked Mr. Jaques to run the crucial North American region. Mr. McLennan attributed Mr. Jaques' departure to "personal reasons," and said the role will not immediately be filled.
Mr. Jaques, 50, was the first senior-level appointment made by Mr. McLennan, who arrived at Y&R in June to take over the global agency network, which as been plagued by losses and leadership failure in recent years. Mr. Jaques formerly ran Y&R Asia and knew Mr. McLennan, who had been chairman-CEO of Young & Rubicam Brands Australia/New Zealand when both were stationed in the Asia/Pacific region.
Mr. McLennan will assume the North American duties for the time being. "It is a short-term challenge, not a set back," Mr. McLennan said. "We've got some good momentum in the business with the
LG win and a few others coming along. It is an unexpected twist."
Mr. McLennan has in the past six months has been assembling his leadership team and was depending upon Mr. Jaques to reinvigorate the crucial North American market. At the end of December, Young & Rubicam Brands Chairman-CEO
Ann Fudge left the company, as did
Michael Patti, worldwide creative director and vice chairman; Mr. McLennan, though he does not have the Young & Rubicam chairman-CEO title, is effectively the top executive at the network.
Separately, toy retailer Toys R Us is putting its business in review, according to the agency. Y&R won the account in May 2004 in a review that included then-incumbent Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett, Chicago; Omnicom Group's DDB, Chicago; and Interpublic Group of Cos.' FCB, New York.
