NEW YORK: Shift Communications has appointed Alan Marcus, previously SVP at Porter Novelli, to serve as SVP and head of the New York office.
Marcus, who joined the firm earlier this month, reports to Catherine Allen, EVP of East Coast client services at Shift. He succeeds Molly Mandell, who left the agency last month for a role at Edelman.
Leading a team of 11 staffers in New York, Marcus is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and management of the office, including efforts around new business development, talent and culture, and client counseling, he said.
Marcus added that he will work to further define and establish the Shift brand in New York City, as well as help “foster and grow the great talent we already have” in the office.
Some of the clients being served out of New York include Lionel Trains, EB Sport Group, H&R Block, Toyota, and Honeywell.
Todd Defren, CEO of Shift, said he brought Marcus on because of his experience working at large firms and with big global brands.
As Shift continues to grow and is approached by large Fortune 500 companies, Defren said the agency needs to have executives who know how to keep them happy and think globally.
He added that one of his goals is for Shift to have a stronger presence in New York going forward.
Shift has more than 100 staffers across its offices in Boston, New York, and San Francisco.
Prior to his three-year stint at Porter, Marcus served as a VP at MWW for nearly a year and a half. Before that he was a VP at Ketchum for more than two years.
Marcus has also held roles at Bratskeir & Company, FAO Schwarz, Edelman, and Burson-Marsteller.
