McCann Worldgroup Canada has added new strategic leadership in Montreal, naming Jean-François Frémaux as VP of strategy.

Frémaux will oversee strategic planning for the office, working alongside Sacha Ouimet – the former Forsman & Bodenfors ECD who was named ECD of McCann Montreal earlier this month – on creative product for L’Oréal Paris, Nespresso, General Motors, Maybelline New York, Export Development Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, among other clients.

McCann Montreal SVP of business strategy and development, Diane Ridgway-Cross, and VP of strategic planning and client services, Nadia D’Alessandro, remain with the agency will focus on business development and client leadership, respectively.

Mylène Savoie, president of McCann Montreal, said the hire is a “very important” one for the agency, which has made strategic planning and thought leadership a focus of its operations. In an emailed statement to strategy, Savoie described the new role as “further demonstration of our commitment to investment in top talent in the Quebec market.”

Frémaux joins McCann Montreal from Publicis, where he spent more than ten years leading strategic planning for Metro, Canada Post and Great West Life. Most recently, he was director of strategy for Publicis’ PR and corporate communications division, MSL Group.

In addition to working across Montreal clients, Frémaux will support work for other McCann Canada clients pursuing opportunities in the Quebec market.

McCann named a new CEO for its Canadian operations at the beginning of 2019, as part of a restructuring that resulted in the departure of its previous CEO, CCO and chief strategy officer. Last month, Jenn Steinmann was named president for McCann Canada’s direct marketing agency, MRM/McCann.