Continuing its management shuffle, Agency.com CEO David Eastman is leaving his post after just one year to assume the role of international president. Taking his place on an interim basis is
Agency.com co-founder and existing chairman Chan Suh.
Eastman took on the role of CEO last March at a tumultuous time for the Omnicom agency, which had just lost its president and
CEO, Don Scales, over what an Agency.com spokeswoman then called "strategic differences." Previously, Eastman served as managing director of Agency's London office, and has been with the company since
1998.
After defecting to the interactive marketing and search agency iCrossing, Scales then made a point of poaching four Agency.com staffers from its Dallas offices: Colin Turney, managing
director; Marlin Jackson, vice president of business development; Lori Wilson, creative director; and Rob Garner, senior strategic planner.
Over the last year, Agency has also suffered the loss of
office heads in New York, San Francisco and Dallas, along with senior media and creative departures.
Along with co-founding Agency.com in 1995, Suh is credited with leading the company through a
successful Nasdaq IPO underwritten by Goldman Sachs and Salomon Smith Barney in 1999, and a subsequent privatization and sale to the Omnicom Group. Suh assumed his role as chairman in 2004.
"My
focus has always been, and will continue to be, on delivering great work for our clients," said Suh, who wasn't at liberty to discuss what new initiatives he has in store for the agency.
During
his short tenure as CEO, Eastman focused his energies on global expansion, opening offices in three European markets and one in Asia.
"I am looking forward to devoting my attention to growing
the existing offices that we have internationally, as well as expanding the agency.com brand in Europe and Asia," said Eastman.
Eastman will be based in London and will report to Suh. The heads
of the international offices will report into Eastman, with the North American offices reporting directly to Suh.