PARIS, France - ICOM Network, a global network of more than 80 independent advertising and marketing communications agencies in 60-plus countries, has expanded and restructured its board and elected new directors representing key geographic regions, some focusing on business development and others on membership recruitment.
Bob Morrison, chairman-CEO of The Morrison Agency, Atlanta, [Georgia, USA], remains ICOM chairman and Karen Seamen, president-COO, Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago [Illinois, USA] continues to lead strategic planning.
“This board restructuring is part of our plans to take ICOM to the next level by enhancing agency connections around the world and empowering global collaboration to accelerate client and brand success,” said Mr. Morrison. “The new organization will also enable us to offer more resources to our member agencies and enhanced service offerings to clients.”
New board members are: in Asia-Pacific, Peter O’Leary, AMBA, Australia, as Asia-Pacific Board Director; Reet Ahluwalia, Arms Communications, India, as Asia-Pacific Board-Member-at-Large; in Europe, Christophe Levyfve, Netco, France, as Europe and North Africa Board Director – Internal Operations; David Longden, Golley Slater, UK, as Europe and North Africa Board Director – International Operations; in Latin America, José-Luis Alvarez, Lopito Ilena & Howie, Puerto Rico, as Latin America Board Director.
Patrick Walhain, partner, Quai des Orfèvres, Paris, and a former ICOM Europe Director and ICOM President, has been appointed to the new position of Global Director-at-Large. He will serve in an advisory capacity, assisting all ICOM regional directors on operational activities that will be rolled out in each market. “As a long-time member of ICOM, he knows the history of ICOM inside out,” Mr. Morrison said.
Other board members continuing to serve as regional representatives are Galina Epishkina, IMMEDIA Communication Group, Russia, for the Eurasia region; Rob Whittle, Williams Whittle, USA, for North America; Wale Adeoye-‐Famosa, Primus Advertising, Ghana, for Sub-‐Sahara Africa; and Ali Asgar Mir, IKON Advertising and IAS Media, Dubai, for the Middle East.
“The new structure will facilitate rolling out a number of new initiatives,” said ICOM Executive Director Emma Keenan. “These include regional strategic business development planning, new tools and processes to help agency staff work better together on client accounts and a stronger focus on resources and knowledge-sharing to help agency leaders run their businesses better.”
About: ICOM is a global network of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies, with 80-plus member agencies covering 95% of the world’s markets. The network empowers global collaboration and brings people around the world closer to brands through connected thinking. Annual gross income exceeds US$500 million.
Contacts:
Emma Keenan, executive director, emma@icomagencies.com, 33-6-63-48-01-37 Nancy Giges, media relations director, nancy@icomagencies.com, 1-914-683-5108