Publicis Worldwide has appointed Ogilvy Australia boss Andrew Baxter chief executive as Joe Pollard exits Publicis Mojo.

Pollard, who joined the agency in June 2012, has left for “personal reasons” according to the Publicis Worldwide statement (below).

In a statement announcing Baxter’s immediate resignation from Ogilvy, Mike Connaghan, CEO STW Group, said Ogilvy was in “outstanding shape” and delivering great results for clients.

“It has always been known for an absolute passion for driving the best client results and it will continue to deliver this throughout this period of transitional change,” Connaghan said.

“I will work closely with Ogilvy’s senior management team to provide additional support and guidance until we can make an announcement regarding Andrew’s replacement.”

“We look forward to making that announcement in due course.”

• For more on Pollard see B&T's profile: Finding her mojo

The full Publicis release:

“Publicis Worldwide announced today that it has named Andrew Baxter as CEO, Australia. Baxter’s appointment follows the departure of Joe Pollard who decided to leave for personal reasons.

In his new role, Baxter will direct the operations of Publicis Worldwide in Australia, which counts collectively 450 professionals across diverse businesses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. He will also be a member of the Publicis Worldwide Global Management Team.

“Andrew’s appointment is an important move for Publicis Worldwide as he brings tremendous leadership to this important market that will allow us to continue delivering the best services to our clients,”said Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Worldwide. “I would like to thank Joe for the great work she has done up to this point in leading our operations in Australia”

“Andrew brings a unique combination of strong client relationships at the most senior levels, an impressive track record in business growth and clear abilities to innovate ahead of market trends,”said Loris Nold, CEO of Asia Pacific for Publicis Worldwide. “I expect he will contribute significantly to the region as we drive regional connectivity for the benefit of our clients”.

“This is a great honor for me and I would like to thank Arthur and Loris for their confidence. Publicis Worldwide has ambitious plans for the Australian market, which are completely in line with my professional ambitions,”said Baxter. “Our Australian business is in very good shape and I’m looking forward to evolving it further to meet the needs of the brands and marketers it currently serves, as well as prospective clients.”