CEO Shelly Lazarus, who led the Ogilvy & Mather network as for over a decade, announced internally that she is leaving effective Jan. 1, 2009. Miles Young, chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Asia-Pacific, replaces her as global CEO, according to sources within the network. However, Lazarus will retain her title as chairman of Ogilvy Group.
Lazarus is one of the most powerful women in the business world, not just in advertising. She helped Ogilvy grow internationally and helped pioneer Ogilvy’s business in direct marketing, which now accounts for more than half of Ogilvy’s total revenue. She also developed a reputation for being excellent client manager, building solid relationships with American Express and IBM.
Lazarus began her career on key clients such as American Express and Unilever, before being assigned as general manager of Ogilvy & Mather Direct in the U.S. In the early ’90s she returned to O&M as president of the New York office, then North America, and chief operating officer-president of Ogilvy Worldwide in 1995. A year later, she was promoted to CEO, and by 1997, chairman.
