• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, January 24, 2012

William Eccleshare has been promoted to CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor. Eccleshare comes to the top spot from his previous position as CEO of the international division.

He takes over responsibility for the company’s domestic operations from Ron Cooper, currently CEO of the Americas division.

Eccleshare served as CEO of Clear Channel International from 2009 to the present. Previously, he held senior positions in the advertising business, including chairman and CEO at BBDO EMEA; chairman of Young and Rubicam/Wunderman EMEA; chairman and CEO of Ammirati Puris Lintas for Northern Europe; global strategic planning director for J. Walter Thompson Worldwide; and CEO, PPGH/JWT Amsterdam.

Eccleshare's appointment is the latest in a series of strategic moves under the leadership of Bob Pittman, who was named CEO of Clear Channel parent company CC Media Holdings in October. However, it is the first major change at the company's outdoor division.

Several weeks ago, Clear Channel Radio was rebranded as Clear Channel Entertainment and Media. Close on the heels of that change, music industry veteran John Sykes was named president, Clear Channel Entertainment Enterprises. In this role, Sykes will be responsible for leading Clear Channel's push into TV and live events, as part of its ongoing effort to expand beyond broadcast radio and transform itself into a multiplatform digital content company.

Indeed, big changes were afoot even before the re-branding, including the creation of a new national programming platform team and new brand management team. Both are expected to exert more centralized control over formats and content at the company’s radio properties.