• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, June 24, 2014

Omnicom’s DDB Worldwide has reorganized its New York operation, creating a new structure called DDB Group New York.

The new unit will oversee flagship shop DDB New York, youth marketing outfit Uproar@DDB, healthcare marketing unit DDB Remedy, digital shop Tribal Worldwide New York, boutique creative shop Roberts & Langer DDB and Spike DDB, the DDB-Spike Lee joint venture agency.

Peter Hempel, who has been CEO DDB New York has been named Chairman and CEO of the newly established Group unit. Succeeding him at DDB NY is Chris Brown who is joining the agency from Australia, where he was CEO DDB Group Australia.

Brown will have a duel reporting function to both Hempel and Mark O’Brien, president, DDB North America. 

 “We need to make sure we are looking across all of our resources in New York to bring even more talent into the organization and provide our clients with complete marketing solutions,” O’Brien said of the changes. “With this new leadership structure in New York, we are getting the best of all worlds,” he added, including Brown’s “ability to grow and transform the business,” and Hempel’s management skills. 

Brown is a 17-year DDB Worldwide veteran, having served in both in the UK and Australia. He was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of DDB Group Australia in 2012, after serving as Group Managing Director of DDB Sydney from 2007 to 2012.