• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, May 11, 2016

Omnicom Group’s TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles has named Erin Riley President of the agency. She replaces Luis De Anda, a longtime TBWA veteran who held the LA president’s post for about two years. He’s leaving to pursue other opportunities.

Riley joins TBWA from San Francisco-based retailer Old Navy, where she served as VP, marketing and brand engagement. She will report to TBWA\Worldwide President and CEO Troy Ruhanen.

Riley, who will join the agency in June, is a veteran marketing executive with 15-plus years of experience working in multiple industries and across brands, agencies and start-ups.

Prior to joining Old Navy in 2015, she was VP, global marketing for luxury accessories retailer Cole Haan, responsible for overseeing brand strategy, creative development, media and content strategy, agency management, and the company’s other marketing-related activities.

Earlier, Riley spent nearly a decade at BBH New York, beginning in account management and eventually rising to lead the department. She was charged with guiding client relationships, setting department standards and cultivating talent. She also served as brand and communications director for BBH's ZAG, a startup and consulting venture within the agency. 

At BBH, Riley worked across several marquee brands, including Johnnie Walker and Axe, and was instrumental in the launch of the award-winning launch campaign for ALLY Bank.

Before that, Riley was an account executive on L'Oreal at both McCann and D'Arcy.

"I've been hoping to recruit Erin for the last five years, as she was one of the standout brand thinkers in the New York market," said Ruhanen. "I'm even more pleased to have her join now with her additional years of client experience.”

Said Riley: “My true passion, whether client or agency side, is building brands that become part of the cultural conversation and reap the resulting commercial rewards. That's why I instantly connected with TBWA\Chiat\Day's mission to leverage data, culture, and cultural events to disrupt with relevant and provocative work that drives business."