NEW YORK: Jack Bergen has resigned the presidency of the Council of
PR Firms to become SV-P of corporate affairs and marketing at Siemens,
joining an elite band of industry PROs by taking the top marcoms role at
a blue-chip corporation.
In his new role, Bergen will be responsible for developing and executing
the company's US integrated marketing, PR, and advertising strategy.
He will have full control of all related budgets for Siemens, which
employs 80,000 Americans and has US revenues of £14bn.
Klaus Kleinfeld, CEO designate of Siemens USA, told PRWeek: 'We are
looking at how we put together the best team in the world, and Jack's a
part of that. We have developed a two-tier business strategy called "top
plus" that focuses on improving the bottom line and, secondly, on
ensuring all our companies - we have spent £6bn on US acquisitions
- act as one Siemens.'
'Jack's experience in aligning messages will be key to the second tier
of that strategy,' he added.
Bergen speaks German, though Kleinfeld said he did not know that when he
singled him out as his first choice.
Bergen will report directly to Kleinfeld, who said personal chemistry
was a factor in the appointment.
Bergen himself said the appeal of the job was the chance to run the
whole marketing operation.
He said he was also impressed by Kleinfeld's approach, and the fact PR
could take the lead.
Meanwhile, The Council of PR Firms has named Fleishman-Hillard CEO and
chairman John Graham as the board's new chairman, alongside a team of
directors and officers. The officers include Golin/Harris International
CEO Rich Jernstedt and Helen Vollmer, chief executive of US agency
Vollmer PR.
New directors on the board are all CEOs of medium-sized or small
agencies, such as Ron Rogers of Rogers & Associates.
Candidates to replace Bergen are believed to include five agency chief
executives, but Graham said he was listening to all ideas.
