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Starcom Global CEO McCann Plans Sabbatical

Jun 9, 2008  •  Post A Comment

Renetta McCann, global CEO of media buyer Starcom MediaVest Group, announced plans to take a one-year sabbatical from the company and the marketing industry.
Ms. McCann will vacate her global CEO position immediately, although her sabbatical will not begin until Jan. 1. Laura Desmond, currently CEO of SMG/the Americas, takes on the global CEO position.
“I have been given the opportunity to build an incredible organization during a decade of management responsibility, but I now recognize that some family matters and personal goals have unfortunately taken a back seat during this time. I would like to give them my full attention now,” Ms. McCann said in a statement.
Before taking time off, she will help with the transition and handle some projects for the company related to talent management, an area of special interest to her.
Ms. McCann was named to her current post in 2005.
“It is impossible to summarize the contributions Renetta continues to make to our business and to the industry at large,” said Jack Klues, chairman of Publicis Groupe Media. “She has earned the opportunity to step back from the global role and reassess the contributions she wants to make moving forward, and we look forward to benefiting from the perspective this sabbatical affords her.”
Ms. McCann said Ms. Desmond’s growth was why she was able to step away from the agency.
“Succession can be a challenging proposition, but our network and clients are fortunate that Laura can step into this role with what will be an imperceptible learning curve,” Ms. McCann said.
“I was not expecting to fill the global CEO role at this point in my career,” said Ms. Desmond. “But the fact that I am prepared to do it is a testament to Renetta McCann, to the remarkable talent that populates this network, and to the forward-thinking clients that have challenged and inspired me to constantly ‘up my game.’”

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