Carla Hendra to head O&M's new Global Strategy & Innovation Practice unit

Ogilvy & Mather is launching Global Strategy & Innovation Practice, a new unit specifically created to offer clients multidisciplinary strategic services that combine creativity with rigorous effectiveness.

Carla Hendra, currently chairman, Ogilvy & Mather New York and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather North America, will take lead as its global chairman, reporting directly to Global CEO Miles Young. She assumes her new role on 4 January, 2010.

''In the rapidly changing advertising and marketing services landscape, Ogilvy has moved beyond the traditional agency role to bring clients a new model of creativity married to marketing accountability,'' said Young.

''Clients fundamentally want insights and ideas that accelerate their brands and business, and it is our goal to deliver on both superbly. As Ogilvy's primary driver of digital services, as well as founder of our strategic consulting business, Carla is the perfect candidate to advance innovation around the globe''.

Hendra has devoted much of her 14 years at Ogilvy to the growth of digital. Under her leadership, Forrester has twice named OgilvyInteractive a top tier digital agency (2007 and 2009). She founded the VERGE Digital Summit series, which has now run in over 30 countries worldwide, and also established the agency's first Chief Digital Officer role, held by JP Maheu. This year, Hendra recruited Lars Bastholm to head digital creative at Ogilvy.

''It's taken about 15 years, but digital convergence is now actually here, and will mean change of geometric proportion to our industry. It's a dream job to be leading Ogilvy forward in global thought leadership as technology opens up an entirely new kind of creativity for our clients' brands,'' said Hendra.

In 2008, Hendra appointed Simon Pearce to Managing Director of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising and Harvey Kipnis to managing director, OgilvyOne for the New York headquarters. They will now report directly to John Seifert, chairman, Ogilvy & Mather North America, as will all of the leadership of Ogilvy's New York and North America units.