R/GA Promotes Ten Execs to Accommodate Growth

Interpublic’s R/GA has promoted Chris Colborn, VP of interaction design, to the newly created position of EVP and worldwide creative director.

The move was the most noteworthy of approximately 10 promotions across the agency, whose staff grew by approximately 45 percent in 2005. A spokesperson described the executive changes as a long time coming.

Replacing Colborn will be Kip Voytek, former executive creative director. As VP and managing director of interaction design, Voytek will oversee R/GA’s experience designers.

Other appointments and promotions involved a cross-section of account development, creative and production posts. Anne Benvenuto, VP of strategy and planning, was named EVP of the company’s strategic services research group. Business development VP Barry Wacksman meanwhile became EVP and chief growth officer. On the creative side, Creative Director Chapin Clark was promoted to VP and managing director of copy; and Kris Kiger, former executive creative director, went to SVP and managing director of visual design.

The agency also promoted VP of Technology John Mayo-Smith to CTO, and VP of production Stephen Plumlee to EVP of production. Karen Spiegel, director of corporate communications, was made SVP and managing director of marketing/communications.