• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, March 17, 2017

Independent powerhouse Wieden+Kennedy has promoted Neil Christie, longtime managing director for W+K London, to the global role of chief operating officer, in which he will manage day-to-day operations of the W+K network. 

In addition to its flagship Portland office, the agency has offices in Amsterdam, Delhi, London, New York City, Portland, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Tokyo. 

As part of his remit, Christie is tasked with driving new business and managing global accounts, and partnering with Chief Creative Officer Colleen DeCourcy. He will report to W+K president Dave Luhr, who was the last executive to hold the COO post at the agency before he was elevated to president in 2013. 

Christie has led W+K’s London office for over a decade and was named a partner in 2011. During his tenure the office created award-winning work for clients including Nike, Honda, and Arla, while growing revenue 350%. 

Christie will be succeeded by Helen Andrews who has been deputy managing director in London. She’s been at W+K London for nearly nine years and in 2014 was promoted from director of account services to deputy managing director. She has run accounts including mobile company Three and butter maker Lurpak, and recently led the successful pitches for T.K. Maxx and Sainsbury’s. She’ll continue to report to Christie. 

In the US, Jess Monsey has been named director of client services in the agency’s Portland office, reporting into Managing Director Tom Blessington. In addition to her role as group account director overseeing Old Spice and KFC, Monsey spent the past two years as business director building out the Portland office’s publishing capabilities. 

“As we mark our 35th anniversary, we are deeply committed to growing opportunities for the second generation of this agency," stated Luhr. "We unveiled part of our plan last fall and follow that up now by elevating leadership at the global and office-management level across the network.”