• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, January 12, 2015

Leslie Sims has been named chief creative officer of Y&R New York, effective next month. She succeeds Jim Elliott, who is leaving for Arnold Worldwide where he is taking on the newly created post of global chief creative officer. Elliott had been CCO at Y&R New York for the past three years.

Sims will drive the creative vision of the New York agency, the aency said, leading creative teams for clients including Land Rover, Dell, Campbell’s Soup Company, Xerox, Special Olympics and Partnership for a Healthier America.

Sims’ appointment completes what Y&R describes as a “reset” of the New York leadership team since Jim Radosevic stepped up to the role as President last May. In September, Dick de Lange came on board as the chief strategy officer from R/GA.  

“We are so happy to bring Leslie on board at Y&R New York at this moment,” said Tony Granger, global CCO, Y&R. “There’s been a lot of forward motion with Jim Radosevic and Dick de Lange in place and adding a new creative partner is part of this evolution.  Leslie brings a great sensibility, enormous vitality and terrific creative instincts to take us into the future,” Granger added.

Sims joins Y&R from McCann Erickson, where she has spent the past 15 years working on a broad range of brands, including USPS, Nature Valley and other General Mills brands, Avis, Staples, Nestle Waters, Weight Watchers and MasterCard. She is credited with inventing the Easy Button for Staples and led the team that created the virtual hiking trails platform for U.S. national parks on behalf of Nature Valley.

Her work has won awards at Cannes, the Clios, the Webbys, the ADC, the One Show, the ANDYs, the ADDYs, LIA, Communications Arts, as well as a Jay Chiat Creative Technology Gold. In 2014, she served on the press jury at Cannes, the One Show Advertising Jury and the Clios’ Branded Entertainment and Content Jury.