DDB Group, Canada has announced a round of changes in its executive suite, following the appointment of its senior executive to a new international post.
DDB Group, Canada comprises the full-service Toronto ad agency DDB Canada; Anderson Advertising of Toronto, which specializes in health care accounts but also handles some mainstream clients; Anderson’s Quebec arm, Publicite Anderson of Montreal; and the public relations firm Heather Reid & Associates of Toronto.
Darryl Lindberg, who took over two years ago as chairman and chief executive officer of the DDB Group, Canada and president of DDB Canada, has been tapped by parent company DDB Needham Worldwide to head all the international agency’s interests in South America.
Effective October 1, Norman Rigg, president of Anderson Advertising for the past seven years, will become chairman and chief executive officer of DDB Group, Canada.
Graham Avery, formerly vice-president and group account director of Anderson, will take over as that agency’s new president.
Stephen Thursby, executive creative director with DDB Canada, will continue in his current capacity and has also been named president of the agency.
Lindberg, who spent four years in Australia as managing director of ddb’s Sydney office before coming to Canada, says his departure and the subsequent changes in executive responsibilities across the group of affiliated agencies should have little effect on ddb’s clients: ‘We have all the people in place here to take over.’
