DDB has plucked a top executive from twofifteenmccann to help lead its West Coast operation.
Mike Harris, chief strategy officer at twofifteenmccann, today assumes the new role of president of DDB West, which encompasses offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He’ll be based in San Francisco and work closely with DDB West CEO Mary Moudry.
Harris, 47, spent seven years at twofifteenmccann, working on accounts such as Microsoft’s X-Box and Nescafé. He also managed a handful of strategic projects for Coca-Cola.
Before twofifteenmccann, Harris was director of strategy at the San Francisco office of TBWA\Chiat\Day, whose top accounts were Adidas, Sony PlayStation and Adidas. He began his career in account management.
In making the hire, DDB North American president Mark O’Brien cited Harris’ experience with global brands and business acumen. "Mike comes in with a strategic skill set that's going to enhance the work we do," O'Brien added.
DDB West’s top accounts include Clorox, ConAgra and Johnson & Johnson, which are handled out of San Francisco, and Wells Fargo, which is run by Los Angeles. Approximately 250 staffers work at the two offices, with the bulk of those—about 200—in San Francisco.
Beyond Moudry and now Harris, the DDB West leadership team includes chief creative officer Lisa Bennett and chief strategic officer Stacey Grier.
With a nod to DDB co-founder Bill Bernbach, Harris described his management approach as hiring "really nice talented people" and "setting up an environment where they can do amazing work." As a major influence, he cited Lee Clow, a former colleague at TBWA\C\D.
"He was just a really grounded, centered guy," Harris said.