Phil Cowdell, a Mindshare vet who has led some of the global marketing and media network’s largest and most prestigious accounts, yesterday was named head of Mindshare North America, the agency’s largest market.
The announcement was made by Mindshare Worldwide CEO Dominic Proctor. He said Cowdell is replacing Scott Neslund, who is leaving the agency to pursue other opportunities.
Most recently Cowdell was one of Mindshare’s Global Client Leaders, a role in which he helped key clients and their agency teams evolve their approach to marketing communications. His responsibilities also included accelerating the development and implementation of effective new thinking and practices.
He has also been actively involved in new business development. He recently spearheaded Mindshare’s global pitch for Intercontinental Hotels Group, the world’s largest hotel company, which awarded Mindshare its account in March.
“Phil is uniquely qualified for this important and challenging job,” said Proctor. “His extensive experience with global clients and the breadth of his accomplishments are virtually unsurpassed within Mindshare’s current ranks.”
Proctor added: “I also want thank Scott Neslund for his many contributions and accomplishments over the past four years and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Cowdell, currently based in Mindshare’s Chicago office, will relocate to New York in the next couple of weeks. He will report to Proctor.
As head of Mindshare North America, Cowdell will be responsible for the management and operation of all Mindshare activities in five U.S. cities and Canada, overseeing an agency with almost 600 employees and an estimated $8.6 billion in billings, according to RECMA.
Before moving to Chicago, Cowdell led the media operation of Team Detroit, the joint-venture between WPP agencies JWT, Young & Rubicam, Ogilvy & Mather, Wunderman, and Mindshare that services the Ford Motor Co., account. In that role he led the media portion of the business across the company’s Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar, LandRover, Volvo, and Mazda brands, which account for more than $3 billion in billings.
Before relocating to Detroit in 2006, Phil was a Worldwide Managing Partner and the agency’s global Head of Planning in London. During his seven years there he ran the global Unilever business and consulted on Unilever’s redefinition and development of world class marketing.
Previously, Cowdell ran the Procter & Gamble account at Starcom MediaVest Group in London where he was responsible for SMG’s local planning and buying assignments across the EMEA region, and for regional and global planning on Leo Burnett and D’Arcy brands. His introduction to P&G was in China, where he ran the buying team and the Strategic Media Planning group at Saatchi & Saatchi and later as Zenith.
