News that Rupert Howell - ad land legend responsible for slogans such as "Ronseal: it does what it says on the tin" - was to step into Ian McCulloch's shoes at ITV has been greeted in some quarters with mutterings of surprise.
Known as a "consummate account man", some in the industry contend Howell is an odd - even outdated - choice for an organisation trying to reposition itself as modern, dynamic and at the cutting edge of broadcasting.
After a career on the agency side, founding his own business Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury in 1997 and latterly taking an international role at McCann Erikson, he was not an obvious choice for the commercial top spot at a media owner, especially one as scrutinised as ITV.
But Rhys McLachlan, head of broadcast implementation at MediaCom, who has just spent some time within ITV on its "Planner Inside" programme, reasons there is a sound rationale behind the move.
"ITV is well resourced internally to present itself as a dynamic broadcast partner," he says. "If Rupert allows people like Nicky Buss and Gary Digby to concentrate on that side of things while he takes care of reassuring the more traditional of ITV's advertisers that their core product remains robust and relevant, then it makes sense as an appointment."
Ideal choice
Indeed, such is the faith in Michael Grade's leadership, he suggests, that if the man with the Midas touch feels Howell is the right man for the job, others are willing to trust his judgement.
For his own part, Howell - not known for shyness - claims his remit makes him an ideal choice.
With responsibility for redeveloping the whole ITV brand, including airtime, sponsorship, programming, ad-funded programming and product placement, and with making money out of all of the above, he claims his experience brand-side is exactly what the broadcaster needs.
"I'm not an airtime salesman, but ITV doesn't need that - it's got a brilliant one called Gary Digby," he says frankly. "What they need is someone with a broader brand and commercial perspective, someone like me who's had experience of working with dozens of clients and brand product development.
"Most of the team are TV veterans; I'm a complete outsider and that's definitely what they wanted. I can ask awkward, silly questions, which is what I'm there to do."
The ITV brand has, he couches diplomatically, been somewhat neglected in recent years, and that's what he is charged with remedying.
He will also be bringing "the voice of advertisers into all discussions". Such is his empathy for client needs, he says he still straightens products on supermarket shelves if he's ever worked on those brands. "If I can bring some of that enthusiasm for the clients' business, that would be a good thing," he notes.
As for accusations of being out of touch, he insists that while his recent international focus means he has some catching up to do, he is "a quick listener and a quick learner" who will be up to speed in no time.
Another bonus for ITV is that Howell comes with a bulging contacts book. After years looking after clients and moving in the upper echelons of the agency world, the ex-president of the IPA has access to some of media's biggest hitters, including WPP's Martin Sorrell and Procter & Gamble's Bernard Balderston.
"I know both those gents very well, so I'm sure I could have conversations with them," he concedes. "But Michael's had conversations with those people as well - it's not just about me."
Grade's personal involvement was instrumental in attracting Howell to the role, but so too was the timing - "this is the moment for ITV's renaissance", he asserts - and the fact that "ITV really matters - there's an absolute sense that a strong ITV is vital for the health of the industry".
Amazing team
He is also looking forward to working with "an amazing team", including Simon Shaps and fellow new-starter Dawn Airey.
"If you're going into a turnaround situation, which ITV is, you want to know you've got great colleagues," he acknowledges.
Everyone reports into chief operating officer John Cresswell, a structural quirk because Grade is executive chairman, not chief executive, explains Howell.
But he is quick to scotch any question of competing with Airey for Grade's position when he steps down from his executive role in 2010.
"It's nonsense. I'm going in to learn a new business; if I do it well, opportunities will open up to me, either at ITV or somewhere else," he says with confidence. "I'm ambitious, but I satisfied a huge amount of my ambition and ego with HHCL, so I'm a pretty happy camper. I'm just going to enjoy the job."
CV
2007: Managing director, brand and commercial, ITV
2005: Regional director, EMEA, McCann Erickson
2003: President EMEA, chairman UK & Ireland Group, McCann Erickson
2000: President, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
1998: Joint chief executive, Chime Communications
1987: Founding partner and chairman, Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury
1983: New business director, Young & Rubicam
1981: Account supervisor, Grey Advertising
1979: Account manager, Ogilvy & Mather.