Y&R hires new managing director

Ad agency Y&R has appointed Katie Lee as its new managing director.

It’s the first major management hire by CEO Paul Lawson since he joined the agency last year, and Lee will sit on the executive management board as part of plans to reboot the agency.

Lee will be responsible for shaping the future of the agency, whilst also focusing on day-to-day operational duties such as marketing, reputation management, talent and new business. She will also lead a number of growth initiatives while working across key accounts and pitches.

Joining from her position as managing director at start-up Sunshine, Lee also has experience working at Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH and CDP London.

“Y&R feels like a start-up with backing. With such incredible resource behind it, it’s an exciting time to build and shape a company into what a modern agency should be,” said Lee.

“In my experience team is everything; teams win pitches, teams create culture and teams build agencies. I know that from day one we will be operating at 100% as we already have the trust in place to take Y&R where we want it to go.”

Paul Lawson added: “If we are going to move upstream, and once again operate as partners to our clients, we need people with Katie’s experience and knowledge to be able to lead those grown-up conversations and ensure we are demonstrating a real return on the clients’ investment in their agency.”