Over the past five years, Gelner has helped make Unilever's Axe, known as Lynx in the UK, one of the most successful brands in North America. He recently assumed global creative responsibilities for the brand and also served on the BBH New York group board.
Before joining BBH, Gelner worked at Cliff Freeman & Partners, Fallon, JWT and McCann Erickson in New York. He has created work for a number of clients including Johnnie Walker, Miller Lite, Holiday Inn and Fox Sports Net.
Chris Mendola, 180 founding partner, said: "When we were looking around for a creative leader for our Los Angeles office, William emerged as the natural and perfect fit. He's relentless in his pursuit and championing of media agnostic ideas. William is absolutely the right guy to bring the 180 model of Big Brand Ideas that travel across media and cultural boundaries to North America."
Gelner said: "Opportunities like this don't come around very often. The chance to move to LA where the worlds of advertising, entertainment and content are colliding and merging was exciting enough. But to be part of 180's start-up in the US made it unique. And the fact that the office is one block from the ocean made it irresistible. I like to surf."
Gelner joins two managing partners of the LA office who have been in place since January. Peter Cline joined the team in Santa Monica after six years as a managing partner of 180 in Amsterdam. Cline joined 180 Amsterdam in January 2001 from Wieden & Kennedy New York, having also worked at Wieden in Portland and Amsterdam, as head of broadcast. He had also previously worked at TBWA\Chiat\Day in New York.
Michael Allen joined 180 as managing partner in January from TBWA\Chiat\Day, where he served as president of the San Francisco office for five years. Prior to that Allen worked at TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles where he headed the Nissan and Infiniti business.
180 LA currently numbers 28 staff and handles the Sony Consumer Electronics US account as well as national and global responsibilities on the Adidas account.