Bill Whitehead, previously executive vice-president and executive director of worldwide client services, has been named chief operating officer of Bates North America.

Whitehead was chairman of Bates Canada and regional director of the agency’s Latin America Region until being promoted to the New York-based position in May of last year.

He has been with Bates for 23 years.

Frank Assumma, president and chief executive officer of Bates USA, has had the role of chief executive officer for Bates North America added to his responsibilities.

- David Rosenberg, copywriter, and Gerald Schoenhoff, art director, have moved to Cossette Communication-Marketing of Toronto from Geoffrey B. Roche & Partners Advertising.

The team has worked on Ikea, Royal Ontario Museum and Shopsy’s at Geoffrey B. Roche for more than a year.

At Cossette, they will work on McDonald’s, Bell Mobility and ScotiaBank.

Rosenberg had been at Geoffrey B. Roche for three years. He began his six-year career at the Woolco in-house agency, moving to Trinier Advertising, and, later, Padulo Integrated, where he spent two years.

Schoenhoff was with Ranscombe & Co. for a year before his 18 months with Geoffrey B. Roche. He spent five years with Laser Communications before that.

- Meanwhile, the creative team of David Crichton, copywriter, and Graham Lee, art director have joined Roche Macaulay & Partners from J. Walter Thompson, Toronto where they worked on Lever Bros., Discovery Channel, Warner-Lambert and Pepsi-Cola.

They replace David Rosenberg and Gerald Schoenhoff, who moved to Cossette Communication-Marketing in Toronto.

Before jwt, Crichton was with Bates Canada, and Lee was with Miller Myers Bruce DallaCosta.

- Multimedia producer David Erdelyi has taken up quarters with Mississauga, Ont. ad agency Arscott Ticar Kobli Integrated Communications.

Erdilyi will continue to operate his own multimedia company, Mediacat, but he will also serve as a multimedia resource for Arscott Ticar Kobli clients.

- In addition to his role of senior vice-president and director of Healthcare at SMW Advertising of Toronto, Ken Stallman has been named the agency’s managing director, client services.

smw has also added two new account directors to the team: Cyndy Carruthers and Patrick Dickinson.

Carruthers, most recently president of Strong Automotive Merchandising (Canada), is responsible for the Ontario Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation account.

Dickinson is account director on the Wal-Mart Canada business. He comes from eight years at J. Walter Thompson, where he worked on Warner-Lambert’s Health Care Division, Mattel and Kellogg Canada.

- Jerry Huckins is now at Vickers & Benson Advertising as associate creative director and will oversee the McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ontario co-op account.

Huckins was most recently senior art director at Echo Advertising working on campaigns for Live Entertainment and American Express Front of the Line.

Before that, he was associate creative director at G&G Advertising for three years after stints with Base Brown & Partners, Bowen & Binstock and SMW Advertising in Toronto.

- Michael deSouza has moved to McArthur Thompson & Law of Halifax as vice-president, creative director.

During 20 years in the business, deSouza has worked at Toronto agencies Ogilvy & Mather, fcb, cme and Bozell Palmer Bonner.

Also new to the new agency is David Edward, director of client services.

Edward, who began his career with o&m, was most recently with Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising of Toronto, where he was responsible for new business development and accounts such as Toyota, Procter & Gamble, Nabisco Foods, British Airways, and Tylenol.

- Harris Kagan has joined Montreal-based pr firm Communications MECA as vice-president business development and international affairs.

For the last 15 years, Kagan has been president and chief executive officer of Weider Sports Equipment.