End of era as BBDO global chairman retires

BBDO Worldwide announced today, Monday, 13 November 2006, that its chairman, Allen Rosenshine, will retire at the end of December, ending a 44-year career that earned him a place on Advertising Age's list of the "hundred most influential people in advertising over the past century."

13 Nov 2006

It was Rosenshine who spearheaded what Time magazine called advertising's "big bang" in 1986 - the creation of Omnicom, which today ranks as the largest and most successful marketing communications company in the world.

He also built BBDO into arguably the most creative agency network in the world. Fittingly, BBDO was named "Agency of the Year" in 2005 by every leading advertising trade publication. Just last week, BBDO finished first in The Gunn Report (which combines the winners from the top creative award shows around the world to determine an overall ranking) as the most awarded agency network in the world for the fourth time - twice as often as any other agency network.

Local BBDO bosses Keith Shipley and Mike Schalit, co-founders of Net#work BBDO say: "Alan was a key inspiration in persuading us to become part of BBDO Worldwide which is a really powerful and creative global network. Being a member gives us in South Africa the best in the world to measure ourselves against and we are proud to be recognised as one of the top five BBDO members out of a total 287.

"Alan has always recognised our contribution which has been very encouraging. It has fired up our passion and commitment to SA creativity, which out punches its weight."

Comments Andrew Robertson, president and CEO of BBDO Worldwide, "When he handed over to me as CEO in June 2004, Allen promised that he would give us two years."

"Typically for Allen he has given more. He built a network of extraordinary talent that does extraordinary work. He believed that you could be good and big, creative and global and he proved to the world he was right."

Rosenshine will become chairman emeritus of BBDO, which Robertson explains is Latin for "did so much for BBDO, we can't imagine him not being connected to the company."

"I'm very happy that my last, and in many ways, my most important decision as CEO - was choosing Andrew Robertson to lead BBDO into the new century," Rosenshine says. "BBDO continues to grow, its creative heritage is flourishing in both traditional and new media and there is little left that I can contribute. I'm delighted to have worked my way out quietly."