Ian McAteer, The Union’s managing director and group chairman, has been appointed to the role of deputy European chairman for Worldwide Partners, the global network of independent agencies.
The Union has been a shareholder and partner in Worldwide Partners since 1999. The role involves planning international new business strategy and European agency co-ordination, as well as developing policy for the network.
McAteer will work with European chairman Vicente Hernandez, MD of Grupo Zapping, the Madrid-based agency, taking over from Hernandez as Chairman in 2007.
Worldwide Partners is now the world’s largest independent marketing communications partnership, and the ninth largest marketing communications organization in the world. The partnership has 97 offices in 35 countries, more than 1,200 clients, and billings in excess of $3.4bn US.
Recent projects The Union has worked on with the network include launching James Hardie, the US-based building products company, into the UK and France, and managing the Vitrulan launch - a German textile brand - in the UK.
On his appointment McAteer said: “Everyone knows Scotland is a small market for our industry. We have to look further afield for business, and our close involvement with Worldwide Partners over the years has paid dividends. I’m looking forward to the role as I know it will bring fresh perspective to our clients’ businesses.”