Howard Breen is joining Young & Rubicam Sept. 23 as executive vice-president, managing director and chief operating officer.

Breen comes from BBDO Canada where he has been executive vice-president, managing director and member of the board.

He replaces Serge Rancourt, former executive vice-president, managing director, who last month moved to Y&R Germany to head up the us$80 million Ford business in Europe.

Breen has worked for 10 years on the client side and for the past decade on the agency side of the business with clients such as General Foods, PepsiCo and Johnson & Johnson.

Breen’s first agency job was with Palmer Bonner (now Bozell Palmer Bonner).

He next joined Baker Lovick as senior vice-president, client services and development, just before its merger with McKim Advertising in late 1991, a consolidation which eventually evolved into BBDO Canada.