In the wake of its recent win in the Clorox creative review (along with mcgarrybowen!), FCB’s Chicago office has promoted account veteran Kelly Graves to the chief marketing officer role.
In the new position, Graves will be tasked with identifying and developing new business opportunities while also positioning the Windy City operation for future growth. She will report directly to FCB Chicago president Michael Fassnacht while also partnering closely with its PR and business development departments.
In a statement, Fassnacht said, “there has never been a better time to coordinate all of our outward facing communication under one smart, strategic leader,” adding, “Kelly has a fundamental understanding of what clients want, what drives growth, how to win new clients and tell our agency story.”
Her promotion follows that of Chris Shumaker, who moved from U.S. CMO to head of global marketing for the larger FCB organization.
Graves joined FCB in 2007 after working in accounts at Leo Burnett for more than four years; during her tenure, she has handled such clients as Kmart, BMO Harris and FIAT Chrysler.
Regarding the new position, she said, “The industry landscape is changing for both agencies and brands, [and] there is a great opportunity to proactively share our story, drive innovation and collaboration across our model and make key agency investments based on where the future is heading.”
In other FCB News, global CEO Carter Murray recently discussed transcending his privileged upbringing for The New York Times’ Corner Office column. The best part of the Q&A was his recollection of the way he treated a bad boss:
“Once, a long time ago when I was very young, I had one boss I didn’t like, and I ended up pouring a full pint of beer on his head in front of the entire team. I was so scarred and angered by the way he treated people, I decided I would never put myself in that situation again.”
See, now we want to know what happened next!