• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 30, 2008

Interpublic's Initiative unit has restructured its West Coast operations in the wake of two new top defections to Omnicom's OMD unit, which also recently raided, Alan Cohen, Initiative's top West Coast executive and the founder of its successful innovations unit. Initiative Friday named John Nuzzi to executive vice president-managing director responsible for running Initiative's Los Angeles office and overseeing its L.A.-based accounts.

The appointment comes months after OMD poached Cohen, just after he had been named head of all of Initiative's West Coast operations, as well as head of Initiative's worldwide innovations practice, and a lynchpin on several pieces of new business for the agency.

Nuzzi, who had been senior vice president-group account director, has led Initiative's Lionsgate Films account, and has played a key role on the CBS Marketing Team.

Announcement of his appointment came as OMD announced it had hired two of Cohen's former top aids at Initiative: John Haber and Greg Castronuovo.

Haber has been named U.S. director of "Factory: Ignition 3.0," a new "creative unit" that will operate out of OMD's Los Angeles office. He had most recently managed the innovations group at Initiative.

In a related move, OMD said it tapped Greg Castronuovo as managing director of OMD West. Castronuovo most recently was senior vice president-entertainment at Initiative New York, where he managed the CBS, Showtime, AOL, Fuse and Nikon accounts. Castronuovo replaces Monica Karo who was promoted to president of integrated accounts for OMD West in April.