• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, December 15, 2016

J. Walter Thompson Atlanta has appointed Vann Graves Chief Creative Officer, effective immediately.

The agency’s CCO post has been vacant since the departure of Perry Fair last spring. Fair had run the agency as president and CCO. When Fair left, the agency hired Spence Kramer to run the shop in the newly created role of CEO. He then began a search for a CCO.

Most recently, Graves served as CCO at FL+G, a full-service agency in Chattanooga. Earlier Graves worked in New York for more than 20 years at BBDO and McCann, serving as VP, Creative Director, and EVP, Global Executive Creative Director, respectively. During his tenure, Graves developed brand identities for clients like Lockheed Martin, M&M’s, MasterCard and American Airlines.

On top of creative and executive leadership experience, Graves is an active-duty military veteran, which the agency touts as an added plus for the shop given its long-standing client relationship with the United States Marine Corps.

“Vann is a creative force in the industry, and we’re incredibly excited to have him join us at J. Walter Thompson,” stated Kramer. “Vann and I have discussed at length our vision for the agency and its future, and there’s no doubt he’ll help us continue to define and exceed our goals.”