• by August 3, 2004

Publicis Groupe's Starcom MediaVest Group on Tuesday announced the promotion of Renetta McCann to the post of chief executive officer, SMG/The Americas. McCann has served as CEO-Starcom North America since 2000. The new post expands the 47-year-old executive's duties to include Latin America, as well as Canada and the United States.

"This was probably a little bit of an overdue announcement," said Jack Klues, CEO-SMG worldwide. "In terms of recognition for Renetta, it's more external recognition because she's always been a trusted advisor to me, and certainly a big contributor to the SMG board at large," Klues added. He cited McCann's integral role in leading a core team through the months-long Procter & Gamble communications planning review process, which culminated last month when SMG managed to enlarge its P&G portfolio. McCann and a handful of other SMG executives are in the throes of staffing up the Chicago and New York offices to work on the P&G brands. McCann will continue to oversee the P&G planning assignment.

The promotion will have McCann traveling to Latin America to create new business and network opportunities. "This is a good time to give Renetta some [more] international experience, although close-in, which all of us need in a business environment that's increasingly global," Klues added.

While reporting to Klues, McCann will continue to manage SMG's four media brands--Starcom, MediaVest, GM Planworks, and StarLink. However, John Muszynski--managing director, investment and operations--and Steven Feuling--chief marketing officer--will now have day-to-day responsibility for Starcom U.S.A. Muszynski and Feuling will report to McCann, as will Laura Desmond, CEO-MediaVest, New York; Dennis Donlin, president of GM Planworks, Detroit; Scott Neslund, president-StarLink; Patrick Walshe, CEO of SMG's Canadian operation; and Martha Marin, CEO of SMG's Latin American region.

McCann currently serves as chairwoman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies' Media Policy Committee, and sits on the board of the Audit Bureau of Circulations and the Advisory Board of the Media Management Center at Northwestern University. She is a member of the American Advertising Federation's Multicultural Business Practices Leadership Council, and is part of The Chicago Network, a local networking and leadership group for prominent women in Chicago.