Martin, who is currently creative manager for FCB New York, will take on the title of senior vice-president and director of worldwide talent, and take on the responsibility for executive and senior level search globally.
She will work closely with the agency's executive management and will report to Joanne Conforti, director of human resources and diversity management.
"This is an in-house capability that is very much needed and we know will be successful," Conforti said. "It will be a major benefit to have Nancee, who knows and understands our culture so well, seeking new talent for us."
Last year, WPP Group appointed Beth Axelrod, a principal at McKinsey & Company, as its chief talent officer. WPP agency Ogilvy & Mather followed its parent by hiring its own talent officer in Mark Linaugh, who joined from Time, where he was vice-president of human resources, to take up the new position of chief talent officer based in New York.
The appointment of Martin follows Interpublic Group's attempts to entice Grey New York president Steve Blamer to take up a senior role at FCB. The agency wanted Blamer for either the role of New York chief executive or chief executive of FCB North America, with a view to succeeding Brendan Ryan as chief executive of FCB Worldwide in the next few years.
Martin, who joined FCB in 1995, started her career in the search business. She worked at Billington Fox & Ellis and SpencerStuart before joining Booz Allen & Hamilton in 1984. From 1984 to 1989, she managed the firm's university recruiting as well as senior staff hiring efforts.
Martin will be located in the corporate offices of FCB in New York until January 2005, when she will operate from the Chicago office of FCB.
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