Edelman on hunt as Ogrizek joins Unilever

Edelman PR Worldwide is hunting for a new European chief executive

following the appointment of Michel Ogrizek as worldwide head of

corporate relations for Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever.

Ogrizek, who has been President and CEO Europe for Edelman since 1995,

joins Unilever on 1 June. He replaces Mike Nash who retired last month

(PR Week, 14 March).

A medical doctor and former president of Hill and Knowlton France,

Ogrizek’s main areas of expertise are healthcare PR and issues and

crisis management.

Based in London, he will head a 40-strong team split between the UK and

the Netherlands. His remit covers media relations, public affairs and

publications and is focused on managing the firm’s overall corporate

reputation.

PR for individual brands - which include Birds Eye, Surf, Timotei and

Faberge - remains the responsibility of individual operating

companies.

Ogrizek will report to Unilever’s two chairmen Niall FitzGerald in

London and Morris Tabaksblat in Rotterdam and will have a budget of

several million pounds at his disposal.

Ogrizek will also work closely with Burson-Marsteller - where he worked

in the late 1980s - which was appointed Unilever’s external PR adviser

last August. A spokesmen from the company said that Ogrizek’s

appointment was unlikely to lead to an immediate agency review.

The world’s second-largest packaged consumer goods company after Procter

and Gamble, Unilever is expected to reveal this week an increase in

first quarter pre-tax profits from pounds 509 million to between pounds

530 million and pounds 585 million.

Edelman, meanwhile, is scouring the market for a replacement. A source

from the agency said that it was seeking candidates with a broad

experience of PR practice.

But with Ogilvy Adams and Rinehart already looking for a European chief

executive, Edelman’s choice of candidates is likely to be limited. In

the short term the agency’s worldwide president and CEO Richard Edelman

will take over Ogrizek’s responsibilities.