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Leo Burnett has raided the ranks of the newly merged BDDP GGT to

recruit its managing director, Stephen Whyte.

Whyte stressed that the move was the result of a long-standing

relationship with Burnetts’ chief executive, Nick Brien, and had

’absolutely nothing’ to do with the merger of BDDP and GGT.

’Burnetts has a very strong culture and a clear idea of who it is and

what it does - it’s one of the best-kept secrets in London,’ he said,

’and as a team of people I like them enormously.’

Whyte, who is the deputy managing director of BDDP GGT, hopes to take up

his new role in January.

Brien explained that he had taken several months to choose a managing

director to make sure he found the right person. ’Stephen is very

strong, not just in running accounts but also in the new-business field

- that’s an ideal combination,’ he said. ’I also wanted to find someone

who would be a good counterpoint to me.’

The extrovert Brien said that exhaustive psychometric tests had been

conducted to ensure Whyte would fit in to the management team.

The pair are expected to work closely together; Brien will keep an eye

on the international accounts while Whyte will concentrate on the

domestic ones.

Whyte began his advertising career at Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, where he

stayed for four years before leaving to set up the through-the-line

shop, Aviator. He quit one year later to join Leagas Delaney then, in

early 1993, he moved on to Still Price Lintas as a group account

director.

At Lintas, Whyte was promoted to the position of client services

director before leaving as a result of differences with the new

management of the agency. He initially joined GGT as business

development director and was appointed deputy managing director last

December.