John McNeel, Former TBWA President of Global Clients, Appointed Global Managing Director, Strategic Integration, by Fleishman-Hillard International Communications

ST. LOUIS, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- John McNeel has been appointed to the newly created position of global managing director, strategic integration, by Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, the company has announced.

In his new role, effective April 2, McNeel will be responsible for accelerating the firm's global integration of public relations, marketing, social, digital and other communications disciplines across paid, earned, shared and owned media platforms. He will report to Fleishman-Hillard President and CEO Dave Senay and will be based in the agency's New York office.

"We've made enormous strides shifting the firm into a fully integrated mode," Senay said. "But we're determined to go much further, much faster, both as a more complete individual agency and as a preferred collaborator among communications partners.''

Senay said that McNeel will accelerate the company's advances in analytics, planning and creative, ultimately enabling the firm to create more powerful "transmedia" content that connects with individuals across the perfect mix of media required for each assignment. 

"We are building a fleet of analytics assets and partners, planners, creative directors, filmmakers and other amazing social media and new-era storytellers around the globe," Senay said. "John will work with each region of the Fleishman-Hillard network, and within Omnicom, to knit together these new assets in powerful ways to help our client teams bring even more irresistible ideas to our clients."

Senay said that McNeel's team will act across an already robust global network, providing the intellectual, creative and strategic support needed to inspire the insights, ideas, content and program creation to put the agency's clients ahead of their competition. For example, McNeel will work closely with Stefan Gerard and Bill Power, co-managing directors of strategic integration of the Americas for Fleishman-Hillard, a team that will have counterparts in EMEA and APAC.

"I'm delighted to be joining Dave's team at Fleishman-Hillard," McNeel said. "It's a company with the perfect mix of experience, thoughtfulness, ambition, smarts and laser focus, at a time when clients are hungry for fresh thinking on their business. 

"For years now there's been a lot of talk in the industry about how the old models are broken," McNeel continued. "But honestly, our clients and our audiences aren't all that interested in our models. Today more than ever, it's really just about helping brands and companies connect with the right people, more powerfully and more enduringly, at the intersection of ideas, emotion, culture and reputation."

McNeel, 56, was most recently president, global clients, for TBWA, a network he joined in 2002.  Prior to TBWA, McNeel held various positions at Saatchi & Saatchi from 1988 to 2002, including a role as worldwide director of operations on that network's Procter & Gamble business. Before that he served as Saatchi & Saatchi's CEO in Turkey and the Middle East and as president of Saatchi & Saatchi Business Communications in Paris.

After returning to the United States in 2000, McNeel was a founding board member of Business for Diplomatic Action, a task force established by Keith Reinhard.

Earlier in his career, McNeel was a copywriter and creative director at Ted Bates USA and Young & Rubicam Paris, after working as a journalist for the Gannett Co. He graduated magna cum laude from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

About Fleishman-Hillard
Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world's leading strategic communications firms, has built its reputation on creating integrated solutions that deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard website at www.fleishmanhillard.com

Fleishman-Hillard is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, interactive, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to more than 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE Fleishman-Hillard Inc.