The new year will find Ira Matathia spending a lot of time up in the air as he jets between Toronto and New York in his new post of president of newly formed Chiat/Day East.

Chiat/Day North America, based in Venice, Calif., announced the linking of the two offices earlier this month.

Effective Dec. 1, Matathia, president and chief executive officer of the Toronto office for the past three years, takes over leadership of the New York office from Doug Watson.

Watson has been president and ceo for one year.

During Watson’s tenure, the New York office has lost two major clients, American Express and Reebok International.

Watson becomes creative director of a new unit that will focus on developing infomercials and other new forms of media.

In Toronto, Michael Shedlich and Jay Bertram have been appointed co-managing directors of the Canadian operation, and will continue to oversee account groups.

Two account directors will be assigned to manage the day-to-day activities of each account group.

Shedlich, with the agency since 1988, has been senior vice-president, account director on the Nissan and Infiniti accounts.

Bertram joined Chiat/Day four years ago and was most recently vice-president, account director on the rest of the agency’s business, including Canadian Airlines International, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart and Microsoft Canada.

Toronto is also getting a new creative director to replace Jack Neary, who moved to Cossette Communication-Marketing this summer.

The creative director slot will be filled by Peter McHugh, who joined Chiat/Day New York as associate creative director earlier this year from DDB Needham in Chicago.

At the New York office, the Chiat/Day East triumvirate will be completed by two of Matathia’s colleagues, who previously spent time working with him in the Toronto office, Steve Hancock, planning director, and Marty Cooke, creative director.

Hancock worked at various agencies in London before joining Chiat/Day in San Francisco in 1986. He was in Toronto from 1988-92.

Cooke joined the New York office in 1986, and has since worked in Toronto and London, moving back to New York more than a year ago.

The two linked Chiat/Day offices do not share any accounts.

New York’s client list includes Nynex (the Yellow Pages) and New York Life Insurance.