Publicis Worldwide North America has announced that CEO Andrew Bruce has chosen Julie Levin, a rising star in the advertising industry, to round out his new executive team as chief marketing officer at the agency. Levin will be joining the agency's flagship New York offices on the 8th of September, succeeding Chris Shumaker, who was named North American CMO of the Interpublic network now known as FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) last September. She will be responsible for new and organic business development across all of the agency's offices and brands across North America.
Levin will be joining the agency's flagship New York offices on the 8th of September, succeeding Chris Shumaker, who was named North American CMO of FCB last September
Levin joins Publicis from the Richmond-based Marin agency, where, as chief growth officer, she led and won pitches for Stoli and Sparkle Georgia Pacific, among others. Prior to this assignment, Levin was head of business development at BBH/NY for almost three years, where she secured the highly profitable Sony Playstation global account. Her meteoric rise in agency business development throughout various New York agencies also includes time served as managing partner/director of business development at McGarryBowen, where she won the Verizon Wireless account, multiple Kraft Food brands, and the Pfizer Chantix and Viagra business. She also ran the Revlon account at Deutsch and the Gillette Venus account at BBDO.
Julie Levin
Bruce, who was named to his current role last December, says Levin will not only be developing new business, but catalysing organic growth from existing clients. He believes that growth is what fuels the agency's collective aspirations, and says that Levin is a “Growth agent,” with her “Rich experience leading brands and businesses, coupled with her impressive new business track record.” He also praises her “Collaborative nature, high-energy and stubborn determination,” which he feels will help her find a welcome home at Publicis. Susan Gianinno, the agency's chairman, is thrilled about the team Bruce is building and “Cannot wait to see the difference” Levin will make. She feels the agency is attracting such talented people because they are allowing them to make “A personal difference.” Levin herself, meanwhile, is excited to get started at Publicis, and says it's an honour to join an “Amazingly accomplished team of both new and tenured Publics leaders.” She believes her assignment has given her a rare opportunity to match the agency's “Audacious goals and vision,” for the agency, “With both scale and innovation as its equity pillars.”
Levin is excited to get started at Publicis, and says it's an honour to join an “Amazingly accomplished team of both new and tenured Publics leaders.”
The appointment appears to have come as a result of mutual interest. Publicis was seeking the right person to lead this new area of focus and although Levin wasn't looking for a new job, she was drawn to the position's expanded role and scope. Hers is the latest Andrew Bruce hire, following Dawn Winchester, who joined from R/GA as chief digital officer, and Carla Serrano, who was recruited as chief strategy officer of Publicis Kaplan Thaler, after serving as CEO of Naked Communications.
Official Publicis Worldwide North America Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK. Happy hump day everyone!
