• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, May 2, 2007

As expected (MediaDailyNews April 10, "Inside Man: Tucker Expected To Be Named New MediaVest Chief"), Publicis' Starcom MediaVest Group has named Bill Tucker CEO of MediaVest USA, succeeding Laura Desmond, who was named CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group/The Americas last year.

Tucker, who will report to Desmond, has been her right-hand man, and a key member of an executive committee Desmond formed when she was first named CEO of MediaVest three years ago.

Tucker, who will report to Desmond, has been her right-hand man, and a key member of an executive committee Desmond formed when she was first named CEO of MediaVest three years ago.

Tucker, who most recently was president-client service and agency operations, was the logical successor, say agency insiders, as he was already responsible for much of the agency's operations and also oversees MediaVest's long-time client Kraft Foods.

Tucker will now oversee a national workforce of more than 700 employees in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, servicing some of the world's biggest media clients including Procter & Gamble, Wal-mart, Masterfoods, and Kraft.

Tucker joined MediaVest (formerly TeleVest) in 1997 as executive vice president-director of the P&G AOR, and in 2001 was instrumental in Kraft Foods' media consolidation at MediaVest, overseeing the AOR's successful start up and growth. Over the past six years, Tucker also oversaw the launch and growth of MediaVest's print operation, which now ranks in the top five print investment units in the US; an out-of-home media investment unit, which saw double-digit billings increase in 2006; as well as the expansion of the MediaVest Los Angeles operation, which has seen significant new business in 2006 - most recently Public Storage, E! Networks and Mattel.

Prior to joining MediaVest, Tucker was executive vice president-media director for N.W. Ayer & Partners, where he led Ayer Media units in New York and Chicago.

Other members of MediaVest's executive team include Donna Speciale (president of investment and activation), Lisa Donohue (executive vice president-managing director), Jim Kite (executive vice president-director of insights, research and accountability, Sasa Savic (executive vice president-managing director) and Greg Warren (executive vice president-managing director), who now report to Tucker.