O'Connor will report to Carlson managing director John Hiney and head Carlson's client services for the London office as well as working on new business projects.
As a partner at VCCP, he led the IPA award-winning £20m ING Direct account, which involved overseeing all TV, press, outdoor, sponsorship and digital marketing. He also worked on Diet Coke and Wedgwood during his time at the agency.
O'Connor joined VCCP from within The Chime Group in 2002, where he previously held the role of client services director (CSD).
Prior roles have included CSD at Bell Pottinger, where he headed up the Friends Provident account and Citigate Albert Frank/Dewe Rogerson (now The Gate Worldwide), where he led Scottish Widows, Prudential and Visa EU. His career began at McCann Erickson.
John Hiney, managing director of Carlson Marketing, said that hiring O'Connor was "a real coup" for the agency. "[Steve] has a truly integrated outlook, having worked across a range of accounts in leading agencies. He's experienced in heavyweight marketing projects for major brands, both online and offline."
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