PARIS — Emma Keenan, formerly VP and partner of Open2Europe media relations agency, has been named executive director of ICOM, the world’s largest global network of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies.
As executive director of the 65-year-old network, she will lead and manage ICOM’s affairs, including supporting members and their efforts to collaborate and bring new business to the organization. She succeeds Gary Burandt, who is retiring after more than 45 years in international advertising with GE, Marsteller, Y&R and the last 17 at ICOM.
“Over the past year, we searched far and wide for the right candidate to fill the big shoes Gary Burandt is leaving behind,” said Bob Morrison, ICOM chairman and president-CEO of The Morrison Agency, Atlanta, [Georgia, USA]. “We are confident we found that person in Emma Keenan who brings a perfect combination of industry knowledge, network management experience and leadership skills. We are very excited about the prospect of Emma continuing to drive network growth and helping take ICOM to the next level.”
Ms. Keenan will be introduced to members at ICOM’s 2015 World Management Conference in Dubai, April 26-28, and officially assume her new position May 1. She will be based here.
“I’m very excited to be assuming this new role,” Ms. Keenan said. “I am very impressed not only with the expertise of ICOM members in their respective markets but also with how supportive they are of each other’s businesses, readily sharing creative ideas and services. This was one of the deciding factors in my decision to join the team. I’m really looking forward to taking the network to its next stage of development.”
With special expertise in public relations, media relations, digital communications, media planning and events, Ms. Keenan joined Open2Europe in 2005. While there she managed teams across many European countries and led an international strategic accounts division that included clients such as Delsey, Epson and Haier. Earlier, she served as a media trainer for companies such as Danone, Dior, Kenzo and Yves St. Laurent. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, England.
Mr. Burandt said he was delighted with the Board’s choice of his successor. “ICOM will be in the good hands of a talented professional well qualified to take the organization into the future,” he said.
Founded as the National Federation of Advertising Agencies in 1950, the organization became the International Federation of Advertising Agencies in 1980 and was renamed ICOM in 1998 to reflect an expanded range of capabilities. Each agency is independently owned and operated. The network provides members with shared resources so that they can offer international capabilities to their clients.
ICOM is the world’s largest and most geographically diverse network of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies, with 80-plus member agencies in 60-plus countries. Annual gross income exceeds US$500 million.
