McCann Worldgroup has employed Anaka Kobzev as its new international chief communications officer. Kobzev, who involves the company from TBWA, will report on to McCann Worldgroup’s new international CEO Daryl Lee at McCann’s New York headquarters when her place turns into efficient in January 2023.
Kobzev, who will sit on McCann Worldgroup’s international management staff, has almost 20 years of inventive and media company expertise, most not too long ago as international head of communications at TBWA. In her new function she’s going to oversee international communications, in addition to fame administration, social presence, exterior and worker communications, occasions and social. A part of her remit is to focus on McCann’s concentrate on creativity, showcasing the corporate’s inventive work and inventive individuals from all over the world.
“The spirit of it’s to usually promote the corporate’s imaginative and prescient of being the chief within the enterprise of creativity and to assist it efficiently navigate enterprise and cultural shifts that come,” Kobzev advised Adweek. “McCann is uniquely effectively positioned to be the undisputed chief within the enterprise of creativity. It’s additionally an organization I’ve lengthy admired and held up as one of many easiest within the trade.”
Different management modifications
Kobzev joins McCann because the IPG company has made a number of key modifications on the high of its ranks. Lee joined as international CEO in September, transferring over from his earlier function as international CEO of IPG Mediabrands. Amber Guild not too long ago departed Gray to hitch McCann New York as CEO, beginning in January 2023.
McCann has had a number of high-profile departures over the previous few months. Wunderman Thompson employed McCann North America CCO Tom Murphy, who was one of many creatives behind “Fearless Woman.” The company additionally misplaced Alex Lubar, president of McCann North America, to DDB, the place he was named president and COO of DDB Worldwide. Kobzev takes on the communications function previously held by Jeremy Miller, who not too long ago departed McCann for Dentsu, the place he serves as chief communications officer.
Lee said that creativity at McCann Worldgroup is significant to telling its shoppers’ tales, and Kobzev will assist form these tales in her new function.
“Anaka is a seasoned storyteller who understands the ability of creativity in all its varieties. Having labored for powerhouse companies like TBWA and Initiative, she understands the complete breadth of creativity and the way it can manifest within the twenty first century. I’m actually seeking to working together with her to form the long run story of McCann Worldgroup,” stated Lee in an announcement.
Kobzev stated that Lee not solely understands the DNA of McCann Worldgroup and its potential, but additionally the “concentrate on creativity and this recommitment to creativity as a superpower. “That was that was necessary for me in contemplating this function,” she said.
Throughout Kobzev’s time at TBWA, the company was acknowledged as Adweek’s World Company of the Yr in 2018 and 2021 and one among Quick Firm’s Most Revolutionary Firms for the previous 4 years. She joined TBWA in 2016 from J. Walter Thompson, the place she served as director of communications for North America. The appointment marks a return to IPG for Kobzev. She spent greater than a decade at IPG companies initially her profession, together with stretches at media company Initiative and for the IPG company communications staff.
Kobzev is a previous co-chair of the 4A’s Company Communications Committee and has twice served on the Public Relations Jury for The One Present.
In different IPG management strikes, Chris Weil, former chair and CEO of Momentum Worldwide, has moved to a brand new company after almost 27 years, Horizon Sports activities and Experiences, as co-CEO with David Levy, whereas Donnalyn Smith has been named international CEO of Momentum Worldwide.
