• November 1, 2004

Twenty-year media veteran Rob Norman, the U.K. chairman of WPP Group's Mediaedge:cia, will relocate to the agency's New York base in January to head up global efforts at MEC sister shops Wunderman Media, The Digital Edge, and Outrider. It will develop MEC's capabilities worldwide in sponsorship and entertainment marketing.

He will report to Mediaedge:cia Executive Chairman Charles Courtier.

Norman joined the MEC's newer half, CIA, 20 years ago as a media assistant in 1986 (Tempus and its media shop, CIA, were acquired by WPP two years ago and was joined with The Media Edge). He eventually became a group head and in 1994, started CIA's first venture in interactive media and marketing.

He formed CIA's full service media and marketing operation, Outrider, in 1998. In 2002, Norman became worldwide director of new business development while continuing to head up Outrider. He was named chairman of Mediaedge:cia U.K. in March 2003.