The media-buying company created this new post and this is the first major appointment since Laura Desmond took over as the global CEO of the company.
His role will be to strengthen operations in the Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe/Middle East and South Africa region. The 40-year-old Swinand will also be working directly with Desmond to take advantage of digital resources provided by sibling Publicis operation VivaKi, along with his other managerial responsibilities.
Until recently, Swinand was at Denuo, the media consultancy within Publicis Groupe. Prior to that, he was a president of Starcom Worldwide, where he helped secure the Samsung business as well as build a global technology practice. He will continue to oversee the Nintendo account across Starcom Worldwide and Leo Burnett.
After receiving his degree from the Wharton School of Business, Swinand served as a platoon leader in the US Army. He began his professional career as an account supervisor at BBDO in Los Angeles, served as a brand manager for Procter & Gamble’s beauty care group, and then became a marketing director for reflect.com.
Now, as part of the inner circle of Desmond’s management confidantes, Swin-and’s priority will be to give a definitive direction to the large media buyer, which represents Procter & Gamble, General Motors, Coca-Cola and Miller Brewing, among others. Desmond, who is yet to define and structure her management team, took up her current role when then CEO Renetta McCann decided to take a year-long sabbatical, citing personal reasons.