 |
| Karen van Bergen |
Omnicom has named Karen van Bergen, former Porter Novelli CEO and head of OMC’s PR group, chief environmental sustainability officer, a new post.
Reporting to chief John Wren, van Bergen will oversee climate change initiatives and help set goals and processes to reduce its carbon footprint.
“By 2023, we will have exceeded our current sustainability goals and are committed to developing and implementing an even more ambitious climate action plan,” Wren said in a statement. “Karen van Bergen is just the right leader for this effort given her long tenure with Omnicom and excellent previous experience with environmental initiatives at multinational corporations.”
Prior to joining Omnicom, van Bergen spearheaded environmental policy at Outboard Marine Corp. in Europe and created the first “green” unit at McDonald’s Europe.
She also led a business/NGO coalition that launched the first moratorium on rainforest deforestation in Brazil and headed the environmental subcommittee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Europe.
Van Bergen will keep her job as dean of Omnicom University.
Whit Clay, who exited the Co-CEO slot at Sloane & Co. 18 months ago to head Longacre Square Partners’ New York office, has been promoted to serve as the first CEO of the financial communication shop.
Global Strategy Group names Claudio Taratuta as an EVP of the L@B, its in-house creative and media agency. Taratuta joins GSG from Praytell, where he was a founding team member... ROKK Solutions appoints Kris Havens as EVP of intel and insights. Havens was most recently a partner at Penta Group... Cliff House Maine brings on William Courtney Lowe as chief business development and brand strategist. Lowe joins Cliff House Maine from Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, where he was VP of marketing & business development. 
Eitan Bencuya, who has more than 20 years of technology PR experience, has signed on with Brunswick Group as a partner in its San Francisco office.
DGA Group has lined up the former US ambassadors to Qatar and Saudi Arabia as senior advisors to help clients navigate that politically complex region.
Narrative Strategies names Adam Silverstein as managing director in New York. Silverstein was most recently head of media relations & thought leadership at Scient Public Relations... Mission North brings on Alex Hunter as EVP of health and innovation... Baird & Warner, a family-owned independent real estate services company that serves the Chicago area, appoints Jeanette Cutler as CMO.
