Hasta La Creative!

Details are vague and no timetable has been set, but sources in the know confirm that Huge founding partner Gene Liebel, who’s been with the Brooklyn-based, IPG-owned digital agency for well over a dozen years, is moving on. From what we’ve been told by sources, Huge, which would not comment on the matter, is currently in a “transition phase” with Liebel, who moved up to chief strategy officer at the agency in fall 2010 (at the same time that fellow founding partner Aaron Shapiro was promoted to CEO).

We’ve been told that Liebel’s impending departure, which will just leave Shapiro as the last remaining Huge founding partner, is an amicable one. We’re hoping to fill in the blanks on his next move within the next couple of weeks. We’ll keep you posted.

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Yes, Carlos Ricque, VP/executive creative director at Moxie Interactive who worked out of the Zenith Media agency’s New York office, is indeed calling it quits. The agency elaborates, saying, “After three great years at Moxie in both Atlanta and New York, Carlos Ricque has decided to leave the Moxie New York office to pursue his video content creation dreams. He leaves on great terms with the agency.  The creative EVP has said that Carlos is one of the good guys in Creative.  Where Carlos goes, good work always follows.  He will be missed.”

It’s not such a stretch for Ricque to head into content creation as the creative has also moonlighted as a screenwriter over the years and won Best Picture back in 2005 at the roving 48 Hour Film Project. On the ad side, meanwhile, prior to Moxie, Ricque spent well over four years at Atlanta-based Fitzgerald+CO, where he last served as co-chief creative officer. During his career, Ricque has also served as a senior copywriter at BBDO and an ACD at what is now 22squared.

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It took six months and change, but BBH has finally selected a new CEO for North America in Patrick Lafferty, who joins said agency after spending two-and-a-half years at McCann and the last 18 months as its North American COO. Lafferty replaces Greg Andersen, who was one of those affected by BBH’s major “restructuring” last fall. Lafferty, who will officially assume his CEO title at BBH this summer and based out of its New York office, rounds out a leadership team that includes CCO John Patroulis, CSO Sarah Watson and chairman, Emma Cookson.

Lafferty’s soon-to-be boss, BBH Group CEO Gwyn Jones, says in a statement, “Patrick has a really calm authority and such a rich body of experience. He has seen and done a lot both within and beyond our industry – embracing client side, media ownership and the military. We have great strategic and creative strength in the business, and I think Pat will bring outstanding leadership to that offering. On top of all that – I think he is just a great person.”

As you’d expect, Lafferty, who was, yes, a former platoon leader/company commander in the U.S. Army, will be tasked with running both BBH New York, which of course handles Axe and now Playstation, and L.A., which services clients including Red Bull. During his career, the exec has also worked on the account side at Leo Burnett and as CMO at Travel Channel.

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After seeing the reports ast week that Paul Renner was assuming the position of executive creative director on BMW at KBS+, one had to wonder what the status was with DJ Pierce, who rejoined said agency two years ago to take on the same role. Well, it does appear that Renner has succeeded Pierce more or less as sources familiar with the matter have confirmed that the latter has indeed turned in his resignation. From what sources in the know tell us, Pierce will part ways with KBS+ on June 1 and spies add that he’ll then turn his attention to his own projects, whatever they may be.

Pierce rejoined KBS+ after spending four years at CP+B, where he eventually moved up to creative director and was involved on projects including Best Buy’s Titanium Grand Prix-winning”Twelpforce” as well as with other accounts including AmEx small business along the way.

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And now, a bit of news news. The baton has officially been passed from one Martin Agency exec to another as the Richmond, VA operation’s chairman John B. Adams Jr. is taking over for longtime friend and colleague, Martin president Mike Hughes, as head of the VCU Brandcenter’s Board of Directors, which includes other notable names such as David Droga and Bob Greenberg Hughes, who you’re probably aware is battling cancer at the moment, will step down from his VCU leadership position, one he’s held for two decades, and into the role of chairman emeritus with the Brandcenter’s Advisory Board.

In a statement, the outgoing VCU board head says, ““I’m especially proud of my part in helping to bring [Brandcenter director] Helayne [Spivak] and John to these positions. I can’t imagine two better people to lead the changes and advances ahead. The students, faculty and the industry should all feel very good about this. My 34-year partnership with John and my 20-year relationship with the Brandcenter have been two of the highlights of my career. I envy their opportunity to help define the future of this business and the future of advertising and branding education.”

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Lord, forgiveth as we’ve receiveth this news from the newswire and not a scoop, but yes, as you’ve probably seen in other realms, Tim Maleeny has been appointed as chief strategy officer for Havas Worldwide’s flagship New York office. You might remember back in the day, when hires, etc. were in bullet point posts on this here site, but yes, Maleeny joins from Ogilvy, where he spent nearly four years as a senior partner/head of account planning.

We’ll spare you the hellishness of the usual hyperbolic quotes and just tell you that Maleeny will work alongside Havas Worldwide Chicago CSO James Lou, who has been with said agency for 18 months (dating back to when it was still Euro RSCG) and has served on the strategy side at the likes of DDB and McCann during his career. As for Maleeny, the newest Havas exec will now lead strategy for clients including Dos Equis, New York Life, Charles Schwab, Merck, and IBM.

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Via the tips line, we received what appears to be a memo from Doner top dog Rob Strasberg that goes a little something like this:

“Great news! We’ve landed a big, colorful fish from San Francisco – Chad Ackerly.
Not only a super talent but a super good guy, Chad comes to Doner with tons of experience doing great work for all types of clients – not to mention a stellar new biz track record.
I’m super pumped and stoked and jazzed (not really sure about jazzed – but my toes are tapping) for him to start at the start of June.

Check out some of his work and his bio.

http://cargocollective.com/chadackley/

http://cargocollective.com/chadackley/Bio
Rob

–

Rob Strasberg
Co-CEO/ Chief Creative Officer”

We’re trying to get official confirmation from the MDC-owned, Southfield, MI-based agency, but in the meantime, Strasberg might want to get the spelling of his new hire’s name right as it’s actually Chad Ackley (yeah, we know, calling the kettle black, blah blah). Anyhow, Ackley has spent the last decade at DDB San Francisco, where he primarily served as group creative director  on several campaigns for various Clorox Company brands such as Tilex, Pine-Sol and, yes, Clorox. Ackley started out as an art director at DDB SF but was soon elevated to one of the first creative director roles at the agency. Prior to his time at DDB, Ackley spent nearly a decade as well at Leo Burnett. We’ll update if and when we find out what his new title is. 

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Well, Team Detroit has been its usual uncommunicative self, but after hearing about it through the Spy line for nearly a week, the proof’s now in the punch that Brad Audet has moved from said Detroit-based, Ford-focused agency to fellow WPP-owned shop, Garage Team Mazda. Audet has now assumed the role of EVP/general manager at the Irvine, CA-based GTM (or TheGarage as the kids are calling it nowadays), which was set up three years ago and has lured over the likes of fellow JWT alum Harvey Marco as its creative chief since its inception.

Audet spent nearly five years at Team Detroit, where he initially signed on as new biz head before moving up to both EVP/managing director and co-president of its small-mid-sized client-focused unit, Pulse. Once again, we’re checking with Team Detroit to see if there’s a replacement in the works, but as usual, we’re hitting a wall. Anyhow, during his career, Audet has held senior account positions at the likes of the aforementioned JWT (on Ford, natch) as well as Mullen and McCann.

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If his subtle Instagram post from a few days ago (above) doesn’t provide a clue, a handful of tweets late last week from Mike Jacobson  (below) basically confirms that the veteran 72andSunny strategist is heading east and taking a job at Dentsu-owned 360i next month.

We’re trying to get confirmation/details from either 360i or its new hire, the latter of whom recently (and perhaps unfortunately) received a heap of backlash in the comment thread of our post regarding his efforts to raise money for Boston Marathon first responders. We’ll avoid dwelling on it further so as not to rain on his parade. So, let’s just tell you that Jacobson, who as some of you may know also has a second  career as a magician, spent five years in all aat 72andSunny, leading day-to-day strategy for clients including Activision (on Call of Duty: Black Ops efforts) and NBA 2K12.

Update: Sources familiar with the matter confirm that Jacobson is joining 360i as a strategist in mid-June.

Update 2: And Jacobson himself has responded in kind, confirming that, ” Yes. But this move is mostly to be closer to the AgencySpy headquarters.” We’re not sure if we should be thrilled or worried. Carry on.

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In case you’re not an avid watcher Boston-based New England Cable News or its This Week in Business broadcast, you probably missed out on this nearly nine-minute chat between the hosts and Barbara Goose, who currently serves as president of Digitas Boston/Detroit and has spent 14 years in all at the agency. Tipsters give us the usual snark when sending this clip, but maybe they’re just taking umbrage with Goose’s proclamation that Digitas is “the leading digital agency in the world” following its merger with LBi a few months ago.

Whatever the case, seeing as most of our Digitas coverage in recent months has regarded cuts and/or departures, it’s welcoming to post something, well, um, positive? This was probably better suited as a lunchtime item, but what the hell, if you have some time to spare and give a shit, feel free to watch her explain Digitas’ BrandLIVE platform and how she’s anxious to take a Harley-riding class among other things.

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