• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, September 8, 2014

Omnicom Media Group has appointed Nathan Brown CEO for the U.S. region of its media shop PHD.  Brown, who is based in New York, succeeds Bob Habeck, who is returning to Omnicom Media Group in a senior global client role.

Brown joins PHD (effective Oct.1) from UM where he was EVP and managing director and then led the New York office and a staff of 500. An eight-year UM vet and member of the UM Global Leadership Council, Brown began his career in Australia, working on the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell accounts at Carat. He joined UM Australia in 2006 and led the Unilever business, the agency’s largest account.  He moved to UM’s U.S. operation in 2010 advancing to U.S. head of strategy and managing director of UM’s flagship New York office. 

“Nathan has a proven track record in creating and delivering great media product that is rooted in strategic insight, and inspiring performance that wins and retains clients,” said Page Thompson, CEO, Omnicom Media Group North America. Added PHD Worldwide CEO Mike Cooper: “Nathan’s leadership experience, passion for strategy and global perspective is the perfect balance for our brand and our clients.”

Brown’s appointment comes about a month after UM appointed Kasha Cacy to the post of U.S. president. She replaced Sarah Personette, who returned to Facebook. A UM rep said that there were no immediate plans to replace Brown and that for now Cacy will assume his responsibilities.  

For PHD, Brown is the third U.S. CEO the shop has had in a year. Last September, Habeck succeeded Monica Karo, who was named CEO OMD U.S. Habeck, an OMG Veteran has now been named president, global accounts, North America. Prior to running PHD USA, Habeck was OMG’s executive director of Global Accounts. Earlier, he was a top regional OMD executive.