Publicis Toronto president Bryan Kane is departing the agency for an undisclosed role at another agency.
Kane’s departure was announced during an all-staff meeting on Friday. Duncan Bruce, president and CEO of Publicis Canada, will be assuming many of Kane’s responsibilities, with support from the senior management team in Toronto. A spokesperson said that “due to the robust senior leadership team in place at Publicis and Duncan’s role at the helm,” the agency would take its time deciding whether or not to fill the president’s role.
Kane has been with the agency his entire career, first joining its account team in 2000. He was named managing partner of digital division Publicis Modem in 2008 before taking on the president’s role in 2014.
In an email to strategy, Kane said he was leaving the agency for a new opportunity that could not yet be disclosed, although it is still within the ad business. An announcement is expected in the near future.
“I have spent close to half my life at Publicis, so to say that the agency and more specifically Andrew [Bruce, former president and CEO of Publicis Canada and current CEO of Publicis Communications North America], Duncan and Yves [Gougoux, chairman of Publicis Canada] have made an indelible impression on me both personally and professionally would be an understatement,” Kane said. “I am incredibly proud of what we have all done together and the team that we have built. Publicis is an agency that is doing amazing things and is poised to continue to do so in the years ahead.”
Recent additions to the Publicis Canada leadership team include a new experience design lead in Toronto, as well as a new creative lead in Montreal, which has recently been brought together with its sister agencies in the city as part of a new working model.
Last year, the accounts for WestJet and The Home Depot went to new agencies, though clients still on Publicis’ roster include Coca-Cola, Fiat Chrysler, Metro, Nestle, OLG and Sephora. It also continues to work with Rogers on its corporate work, including its masterbrand platform, while more of the telco’s business was sent to Omnicom agencies.
