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Grey is extending its ’inner cabinet’ with the addition of Chris

King who takes the newly created title of executive vice-president.

His promotion from running one of Grey’s five ’agencies within an

agency’ propels him into the number two slot behind Steve Blamer, the

chief executive, and marks him down as a potential successor when Blamer

returns to his native US.

King is the first addition to the core management team since the

acrimonious departure of Carol Reay as deputy chairman seven months

ago.

But Blamer insisted that King, managing director of the Grey-owned

Mellors Reay & Partners until it was folded into the main agency earlier

this year, was not a direct replacement for Reay.

Blamer said: ’This is going to give me more opportunity to try my wings

in London.’

King will augment the agency’s existing management team comprising

Blamer, Tim Mellors, the executive creative director, and Clare Rossi,

the chief planning officer.

A one-time ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 Face to Watch, King joined Procter & Gamble - a

major Grey client - as a brand manager in 1978. His first agency job was

at Ted Bates in 1981 before a three-year stint at Grey in 1984, which he

left to join Mellors Reay.