Backchannelmedia

Backchannelmedia

NEW YORK, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Y&R announces the hiring of Tarik Sedky to the newly created position of Chief Digital Officer, based in New York. He will work closely with Global CEO Hamish McLennan to accelerate Y&R's growth in the digital space. Tarik will run a new digital entity that will be branded Y&R and will operate on the philosophy of connected independence-an embedded agency that benefits from Y&R's culture, resources and tools, but retains the uniqueness of the digital environment. This is Y&R's second high profile talent acquisition within the past month, with Mitch Caplan joining as new business director last week, and the agency will continue to build its senior management team with new appointments to be announced over the coming weeks.

"We are quickly expanding digital as a core agency discipline," said Hamish McLennan. "Tarik brings the right combination of talent and experience to grow our digital offering and I'm delighted to add him to our senior management ranks."

Tarik has a wide range of experience in new media, advertising and public relations. He joins Y&R from Atmosphere BBDO, where he was the Managing Director of Account Management, leading that department and working with clients to develop their digital marketing platforms.

Tarik also has a deep understanding of client needs in the digital space, gleaned from his role as Director of New Media at Accenture. While there he led the strategic development and implementation of firm-wide internet marketing efforts, including the design and operation of Accenture.com. Tarik and his team successfully turned Accenture.com into a significant revenue- generating tool, and the website was named a Forbes.com "Best of the Web." He was part of the firm's marketing leadership and sat on the Marketing Management Committee.

Tarik begins in his new role here on May 29th, 2007. This is a reunion for Tarik at Y&R, as he served as senior vice president, managing director here for five years in the late nineties.

"This is a unique opportunity for me," said Tarik, "I'm coming back to a brand I have immense respect for and am looking forward to working with Hamish as we further the agency's digital strategy."

About Y&R

Y&R is one of the world's leading marketing communications agencies and is owned by WPP. Founded in 1923, the agency today has 165 offices in 124 cities in 81 countries around the world. Our client partners are some of the world's most prestigious global corporations, including Cadbury Schweppes, Colgate- Palmolive, DANONE, Ford Motor Company and Xerox. Hamish McLennan is Chairman and CEO.

SOURCE Y&R