Kevin Roberts, 20-year Publicis vet who resigned last year after making deprecatory remarks about women, has joined Beattie Communications, London, as chairman.

Kevin RobertsKevin Roberts

Roberts, former chairman, Saatchi & Saatchi unit of Publicis, got caught in a media firestorm last August when he told Business Insider the gender debate was “done” and that women did not really want leadership roles.

He also made critical remarks about Cindy Gallop, a prominent U.K. advertising executive.

Cindy GallopCindy Gallop

Beattie, founded 30 years ago, has eight offices and serves 12 industry sectors including tech, healthcare, defense and aerospace. It has links to firms in 100 business capitals. It is expanding into Canada, opening offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. Laura Woods is CEO.

Roberts said the firm plans to grow but has “no plans to become a traditional ad agency.” Seven of the ten-person leadership team are women, the firm noted.

Roberts resigned from Publicis days after making the remarks, telling New Zealand broadcaster TVNZ in December that he was “fatigued” and not at “his best” when he made them.

He said he meant to say that “we should stop debating it and stop talking about numbers and start doing something about it.”

Levy Comments on Sexism Charges

Publicis CEO Maurice Levy, commenting last year on the sexism charges filed against former JWT CEO Gustavo Martinez by communications head Erin Johnson, said the charges against Martinez are not “exemplary of what’s happening in our industry.”

Johnson says Martinez joked about rape and made racist and anti-Semitic comments. She says complaints to senior members at both the agency and parent WPP were ignored and her bonus was cut.

Martinez, who resigned in March 2016, denied the charges, calling them “outlandish.”