BOSTON and LONDON, June 8 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Digitas today announced that Alan Rutherford, currently VP of Global Media for CPG giant Unilever, will join the agency family as CEO of Digitas Global, the division formed to grow the agency's business and service to clients worldwide. Rutherford will join Digitas in September and be based in London. He will report to Digitas Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, David Kenny.
Rutherford is charged with driving the global growth opportunity of Digitas by leading the agency's expansion into major new markets around the world and leveraging the agency's expansion platform businesses, which include Digitas London and Prodigious Worldwide. Rutherford's direct reports will include Corey Torrence, President, Prodigious Worldwide, the digital productions company; Norm Johnston, President, Digitas London, the agency beachhead for the U.K. and Europe; and Greg Green, SVP and head of Digitas' Media Operations & Technology.
Last month Digitas announced the creation of Prodigious Worldwide, spun-off the former Digitas agency Modem Media to sibling Publicis Worldwide, and reintroduced a U.K. presence in the form of Digitas London as part of the agency's global expansion plan.
"The explosion of digital media worldwide has had a major impact on how brands communicate; if they are to win, they need the capabilities to manage digital communications in every market they serve," said Kenny. "We're fortunate to capture Alan's expertise to lead our talent in creating global scale for Digitas capabilities so that we continue to help drive our clients' worldwide digital success."
"It's always been a personal ambition to be at the leading edge of brand communication and a privilege to help instigate worldwide communication channel planning for Unilever," said Rutherford. "I'm equally privileged to be asked to lead the global expansion of Digitas and to bring my experience to bear on its world class organisation, people and portfolio of clients."
Prior to joining Unilever in 1998, Rutherford served as a Director at Ogilvy and Mather Europe. He began his career with Dorlands Advertising in 1984. Rutherford received an Honors B.A. in Economics from Leicester University.
About Digitas
Digitas is one of the world's leading digital marketing and media companies. The Digitas marketing engine marries art (creativity and insight) and science (analytics, delivery, media, measurement, strategy and technology) across digital, direct and indirect media to help blue-chip global brands develop, engage and profit from their customer relationships. Agency sub-brands and subsidiaries include Digitas USA, Digitas Health, Digitas Global, Digitas London and Prodigious Worldwide, the dedicated digital productions company. Digitas is a member of the Paris-based Publicis Groupe S.A. (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, NYSE: PUB), the world's fourth largest communications group and second largest media counsel and buying group.
