Stoddart will lead the Publicis Groupe-owned agency with Bernardin and chief creative officer Cheryl Berman as Bernardin moves to Linda Wolf's recently vacated post as Leo Burnett Worldwide chairman.
Stoddart has 10 years' experience as manager of marketing communications at Ford, where he lead the motor group into branded entertainment including partnerships with popular US TV shows 'American Idol', '24' and 'Extreme Makeover'. WPP Group's J Walter Thompson USA is Ford's advertising agency of record.
From 1999 to 2002, Stoddart worked on the agency side as an account manager for Publicis Group's Fallon in Minneapolis and before that spent 10 years at Leo Burnett, where he started his career as a media buyer and planner in 1985.
Bernardin said: "His holistic communications approach combined with his Burnett pedigree and stellar stint at Fallon made him the obvious choice to lead Leo Burnett USA."
Stoddart will take up his new post in January 2005 and report directly to Bernardin.
It was also announced that Leo Burnett USA vice-chairman and director of account management Tom Dredreck has been promoted to the role of chief operating officer of Leo Burnett USA to support Stoddart.
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