Lois Jacobs becomes global chief executive officer at WPP B to D Group's

Leading design consultancy Fitch last week announced that Lois Jacobs will assume the position of global chief executive officer as of April 1, 2009. She will partner closely with founder and chairman, Rodney Fitch, and, like him, she will be based in Fitch's London Westbourne Terrace headquarters.

Fitch is one of seven companies that comprise WPP's B to D Group, a network of branding and design firms led by CEO and Chairman Craig Branigan, to whom Jacobs will report.

Jacobs is an international business leader with proven expertise managing and growing businesses, as well as overseeing multi-million dollar communications campaigns for some of the world's leading brands, including Mars, Ericsson, Sony, Nokia and Microsoft. In her most recent position as the International President of Jack Morton Worldwide, Jacobs has established several Asian offices and affiliates and spearheaded significant growth for the agency.

Sshe has also been responsible for numerous renowned events designed to brand cities, including the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic and Commonwealth Games and London's annual New Year's Eve celebrations. Her leadership and expertise with experiential environments is highly complementary to Fitch's core competencies.

"Lois's talent in creating brand experiences for large corporations and governments together with her experience in managing and growing a global network, is unparalleled," said Rodney Fitch. "Her skills have resulted in exceptional business growth, which will be a significant asset both to Fitch and our valued clients. I look forward to working together with her."

As CEO, Jacobs will be responsible for Fitch's global network of offices, including expanding the company's reputation for envisioning ideas, nurturing exceptional creative and the flawless execution of design projects. Additionally she will oversee further expansion into Asia.

"Like Rodney, I have a passion for building global, multi-skilled teams that create inspirational work. I am excited by the calibre of Fitch people, as well as the exceptional brand of the company itself," said Jacobs. "I look forward to bringing my enthusiasm and skill to this world class global design studio."