BBH New York names new CEO, CCO and chairman amid exec reshuffle
BBH New York has announced that Anthony Romano, formerly SVP and head of client services in the US at R/GA, has joined the Publicis shop as chief executive.
Sarah Watson, Anthony Romano and Gerard Caputo
The agency has also elevated executive creative director Gerard Caputo to chief creative officer and promoted Sarah Watson, global chief strategy officer, to chairman of BBH New York. She will continue to serve as global chief strategy officer in her new role.
The trio’s appointments come as BBH New York works to restore its leadership team following a slew of executive departures in recent months. In September, BBH North America chief executive Pat Lafferty and BBH New York chief creative officer Ari Weiss both left the agency. Lafferty is now president of Translation while Weiss has joined DDB as North America chief creative officer.
Last month, BBH New York creative chairman John Patroulis left the agency to join Grey as worldwide chief creative officer.
“Our new BBH New York executive team is well positioned to continue our strong momentum,” said Neil Munn, global chief executive of BBH, in a statement. “Anthony’s combination of experience from the agency, media and client sides of the business gives him a unique 360-degree perspective. His progressive leadership style combined with his versatile marketing experience and his deep appreciation for the work make him the ideal candidate to lead the BBH New York team and expand our business in North America.”
“BBH is one of the most storied brands in the world, known for its razor-sharp strategic thinking and brave creativity that provokes real cultural shifts for brands,” added Romano. “I’m grateful for my time at R/GA. It’s a truly special place. But the opportunity to lead the acceleration of BBH into its next chapter, alongside pros like Sarah and Gerard, is a rare opportunity.”
Romano will join BBH New York next month and report to Munn. According to the agency, he will be tasked with helping advance BBH’s innovation agenda.