John Frood has joined Iris in the newly created role of planning director for Europe.

Frood, who joins this month from Leo Burnett Group where he was planning director for EMEA, responsible for driving integration across the group, will be responsible for driving new business among the company’s European clients which includes Sony Ericsson, Shall, Heineken and Adidas.

He will report to Sam Noble, global executive planning director at Iris.

He has 15 years planning experience having also worked at WWAV Rapp Collins and DDB.

Frood’s appointment marks the next phase of iris’ European growth, which will see it target new markets such as Russia and Germany within the next year following the launch of its offices in Paris, Amsterdam and Munich in January.  

 Noble commented: “John’s personality, his experience, his brand and commercial acumen, and his ability to inspire breakthrough ideas for businesses in the world of the modern consumer makes him a fantastic addition to the agency’s leadership team. He’s exactly the sort of can-do, action-orientated strategist that we believe clients and agencies need more of.”

Frood said: “I joined Iris because I was bowled over by the agency’s achievement and ambition. I’m looking forward to taking iris’ integration story to the next level and being part of an agency that does and will kill ‘the line’.”