• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, February 28, 2013

Well-regarded media agency veteran Peter Gardiner, partner and chief media officer at Interpublic’s full-service Deutsch agency, is departing the shop effective today, the agency confirmed.
 
Gardiner joined the agency 13 years ago from Bozell Worldwide, where he was partner and media director. Earlier, he held posts at Needham Harper & Steers, Time Warner and Wunderman.
 
Deutsch NY CEO Val DiFebo credited Gardiner with helping to grow Deutsch’s media offering “at a time when many agencies were unbundling their media operations. He was an important part of the agency’s success.”
 
Deutsch said it would announce plans next week for how its media operation will proceed in the future without Gardiner.
 
Gardiner’s departure comes about a month after a realignment at sibling agency Draftfcb resulted in the latter’s media operation being shifted to Mediabrands, the IPG media management arm that oversees UM, Initiative and other specialty media operations. The former Draftfcb media unit now reports to Initiative.
 
Asked if a similar shift was in the works for Deutsch’s media operation, an agency media rep responded: “No, it is not.”
 
Gardiner issued a statement: “Having been a partner at one of the best agencies in history has been incredibly rewarding and fun. But leaving Deutsch now gives me the opportunity to find, grow and nurture startups in the media and tech space. I'm excited about what's ahead, and I thank everyone at Deutsch for the best years of my professional life, so far…”
 
Gardiner said he would be in a position to disclose more “in several weeks, as things gel.”

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