PHCG: Publicis Health names new chief executive from its agency network

Publicis Health is getting a new CEO, although he's already a familiar face in the Publicis agency network. Stephen Farquhar will step into the role in February, moving from his current roles as Publicis Media's chief marketing officer and Publicis Groupe's business lead for luxury goods maker LVMH North America. Alexandra von Plato The healthcare group's current CEO, Alexandra von Plato, who has been in the role five years, will become chairman of Publicis Health, and serve as an advisor to Farquhar. Farquhar will oversee day-to-day operations of Publicis Health in the US, which includes creative agencies Digitas Health, Heartbeat, Razorfish Health and Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, along with specialty agencies BBK Worldwide, Insagic, Langland US and Payer Sciences. During his career at Publicis, Farquhar worked on GSK and Haleon, GSK's consumer health spinoff, as well as consumer, telecom and luxury brands. He's also previously led agencies in China, the UK and US with his healthcare marketing and media experiences spanning 92 global markets, Publicis said in a press release. Eric Muller Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun thanked von Plato in a statement and said Farquhar's "depth of experience across healthcare and CPG marketing and media mean he is ideally placed to lead our teams in addressing the business needs of healthcare and pharma marketers today." Along with von Plato and Farquhar's new roles, Publicis Health appointed Digitas Health president Eric Muller to the new position of chief operating officer (retaining his role at Digitas), and Tracey O'Brien to the new role of chief client officer. O'Brien comes to Publicis Health from IPG Health where she served as global client lead. Tracey O'Brien Publicis Groupe is finishing up a solid year, notching 6.5% growth through the first nine months, and key account wins in the pharma and health space, including all of Pfizer's media, technology and production business. Publicis this year also debuted a first-of-its-kind ad agency Super Bowl commercial - with partners AbbVie, Sanofi and Merck/MSD - to spotlight the difficulties around cancer in the workplace. It was the beginning of a broader $100 million campaign and "Working with Cancer" pledge, asking companies to commit to best practices for employees dealing with cancer.