CATHERINE GALE, formerly Managing Director, DraftWorldwide Southeast Asia, has been promoted to Managing Director, Asia Pacific. Gale joined Draft in June 2002 to oversee network operations in the South Asia Pacific region, including offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. Her new market responsibilities are now expanding to include Hong Kong, India and Thailand. Most recently Gale was at Saatchi & Saatchi London, where she was Integrated Communications Director, responsible for building the agency's integrated offering.

Leo Burnett/Toronto has made two new appointments. KRISTI KARENS was promoted to Group Head from Account Director, while Zahida Virani was promoted to Account Director from her previous role as Account Supervisor.

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. announced the hiring of NICK UTTON as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for its retail and middle market businesses (RMM). Utton spent fours years with MasterCard International where he was an executive vice president with responsibility for global marketing, advertising, and brand building initiatives. He directed the global rollout of MasterCard's highly successful "Priceless" advertising campaign. Most recently he gained entrepreneurial experience as the managing director and chief marketing officer for a start-up national utility company.

THOMAS CORDNER was named Executive Vice President and Executive Creative Director of JWT's Detroit office, and Worldwide Creative Director on the Ford account, the agency said. Cordner has shepherded the Lexus account at Publicis Groupe's Team One Advertising, El Segundo, Calif., where he was Co-Chairman and Executive Creative Director. The agency was created by Toyota agency Saatchi & Saatchi to handle the luxury brand. He was the creative behind Lexus' long-running "The relentless pursuit of perfection" campaign.

Forbes.com has named two new Account Managers. ANDREW FREEDMAN, who will be based in New York, comes from Advertising.com, where he was Account Executive. MARK HOWARD had been G+J Business Innovator Group’s Western Sales and Development Manager. He’ll be based in San Francisco.

Leo Burnett Worldwide has announced the retirement of Vice Chairman and Chief Creative Officer MICHAEL CONRAD. Conrad will act as a consultant after Jan. 1, when Miguel Angel Furones will succeed him. Furones joined the company as Deputy Chief Creative Officer in 2001.

Marketing Magic, Inc., Hollywood, has promoted MICHAEL S. RAYMOND from Media Director to Vice President/Media Director. Raymond has been with the Agency for 4 years. Raymond has been in the advertising and broadcasting business since 1964 and has held media department positions with Doyle Dane Bernbach and SSC&B in New York City and radio sales and management positions with RKO, CBS-FM, ABC-FM and SJR Communications.