ATLANTA, June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Fitzgerald & Co today announced that Matt Woehrmann will succeed Dave Fitzgerald as CEO, with Fitzgerald assuming the role of Chairman of the agency. Woehrmann, currently EVP, Worldwide Account Director for Coca-Cola at McCann Worldgroup, will maintain those responsibilities as part of his new role in addition to partnering with Noel Cottrell, Chief Creative Officer, to lead Fitzgerald & Co and the evolution of its product.
Dave Fitzgerald said, "We have amazing people, great clients who love us, real new business momentum and, under Noel's leadership, world-class creative. I am confident that Matt's addition to our team will help lead to the next exciting stage for the agency."
Luca Lindner, President of McCann Worldgroup, added, "No one will or can replace Dave, but Matt likewise has a passion for the work we do and comes to the job with a special perspective. I am pleased he will be guiding Fitzgerald & Co's future. He has done a great job leading our expanding Coca-Cola business globally and the move to Atlanta positions him to better manage the global relationship from our hub in Atlanta."
Also, Lisa Galanti, Managing Director, who announced her retirement at the beginning of the year, will be transitioning her responsibilities over the next few months to Evan Levy, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer.
Woehrmann brings to his new post a broad range of international experience, including brand development and new product launches. He joined McCann in 2000 initially on the agency's General Motors business and later was named McCann Worldgroup's Mexico-based Director of Client Services, leading such multinational accounts as L'Oreal, GM, Unilever, Microsoft and Cadbury. In 2007, he returned to the U.S. to head the global Coca-Cola business, based first in Atlanta and then in New York.
Woehrmann said, "Noel is an incredible creative leader who has inspired great award-winning work and attracted special new talent to the agency in his short time there. I'm excited about partnering with him and Dave to help this great agency achieve its ambitious goals and to support its clients. There is such great cultural and creative energy in Atlanta – I'm looking forward to being a part of it at Fitzgerald."
As leader of McCann Worldgroup's Coca-Cola business, Woehrmann is responsible for managing the McCann Worldgroup agency teams in Atlanta and in 56 markets around the world, working across McCann, Momentum, MRM//McCann and other McCann Worldgroup agencies.
Cottrell co-founded two current Top 10 South African ad agencies, was CCO of Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners and, before joining Fitzgerald & Co, was an ECD at Grey New York, where his credits included co-fathering the enormously popular E-Trade "Talking Baby" campaign. He's won awards at Cannes, One Show and D&AD, as well as multiple EFFIEs, and captured South Africa's "Ad of the Year Award" five times.
Since joining Fitzgerald & Co, Cottrell has significantly upped the caliber of the creative output through work on current clients and new hires. He also has been key to the company's new business drive, including new creative work for Coca-Cola, and the recently won new client Carrabba's Italian Grill, as well as new initiatives for Synovus and Navy Federal Credit Union.
"We have a really talented group of people leading this agency, with all of the energy and skills to drive our creative ambitions and growth," said Cottrell. "I've worked with Matt closely for going on 5 years on Coke, and he is going to be a huge addition to our team."
About Fitzgerald & Co
Fitzgerald & Co is an award-winning, full-service agency specializing in advertising, digital, social, media planning and buying, and brand and marketing strategy. Fitzgerald & Co infuses logic and magic into every solution for its clients, including Coca-Cola, Carrabba's Italian Grill, MedExpress, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pergo Flooring, Quikrete and Synovus. Fitzgerald & Co is part of McCann Worldgroup, a division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit www.fitzco.com.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/matt-woehrmann-named-ceo-of-fitzgerald--co-300094181.html
SOURCE McCann Worldgroup