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Nicky Buss, the head of planning at Ammirati Puris Lintas, is

leaving the agency.

Buss is moving for personal reasons: to join her husband, whose job took

him to Chicago six months ago. She has secured a position at the

management consultancy, McKinsey & Co.

She is hoping to leave at Easter. As yet, the agency has not secured a

replacement but William Eccleshare, APL’s chairman, expects to have one

in about four weeks.

However, Buss, a ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 Face to Watch in 1994, is not planning to

abandon the advertising industry permanently. She said: ’It’s a smart

move for the long term. Our New York chief executive, Rick Hadala, used

to work at McKinsey. It’s a case of ’know your enemy’.’

Eccleshare said: ’In her three years here Nicky has, from virtually

nothing, built one of the strongest, brightest and liveliest planning

departments in London. With imagination, energy and immense style she

has helped us to create a new agency culture.’

Buss, 31, was hired as planning director three years ago. She moved from

MTV, where she was vice-president, strategy and planning. Before that

she worked at Saatchi & Saatchi.

While at APL, Buss oversaw an internal restructure to heighten the

profile of the agency’s media planning and improve its integrated

offering. The move saw media planners working hand-in-hand with account

planners on a brand-by-brand basis.