Publicis Groupe is is expected to appoint one of its former media agency executives, Andrew Swinand, as chief executive of Leo Burnett in North America, according to a report in the
Wall Street
Journal. The holding company is also in discussions to acquire digital marketing shop The Abundancy and analytics firm Ardent. Swinand's appointment and the acquistiions are viewed as decisions
to shift Burnett into data and technology as advertising business segues from reliance on TV advertising. Burnett is known for its creative prowess with 30-second TV spots. This would be a return to
Publicis for Swinand who spent more than a decade at the holding company, "most recently as president of media agency network Starcom Mediavest Group." He left Publicis in May 2011 to co-found "a
network of startups and investments called Abundant Venture Partners," according to the
Journal.
Read the whole story at Wall Street Journal »
