Belgiovane Williams Mackay (BWM) has hired DDB Los Angeles senior planner Tamer Kattan to replace planning director Hristos Varouhas who is leaving the agency.
Varouhas has decided to leave the agency in December to take up a planning role at another agency after five years at BWM.
“Hristos played a key role in building BWM's planning capabilities over the last five years and during that time contributed to a number of award-winning campaigns. There's no doubt he'll be sorely missed,” BWM partner and executive planning director Jamie Mackay said.
Varouhas added: “It was a difficult decision to move on from the BWM family, with whom I've got a very strong connection and achieved so much. The opportunity to take on new challenges was simply too good to pass up.”
Mackay said Hristos had been evolving the agency's planning skills from a traditional focus to embrace broader skills, including innovative observational techniques and trendspotting, as well as digital capabilities.
Mackay added: “It's a real coup for us to secure the esteemed mind of Tamer Kattan, a senior brand and digital strategist whose unique expertise in social psychology will add fresh insights to BWM's campaigns.”
Kattan, has previously worked with TBWA Chiat/Day LA, Y&R Brands in the US and Leo Burnett Dubai. His experience spans cars, banking, insurance, packaged goods, digital gaming and alcohol. Kattan's appointment closely follows the introduction of the agency's first dedicated digital planner, Emily Hoskins, who was previously with digital agency Hyro and has also worked at the ARU and M&C Saatchi on the Optus, Austar and OzEmail accounts.
