BBH USA CEO exits—agency names new president and chief strategy officer

BBH USA’s CEO Amani Duncan is departing the agency after taking on that role in February, following more than two years at the Publicis Groupe agency. Duncan declined to comment on her future plans. 

The CEO role won’t be filled. But the shop has named two new leaders: Agnes Fischer, previously the president of The&Partnership, joins BBH USA as its president alongside Alan Stout, who will fill the agency’s chief strategy officer position. Stout previously served as the chief strategy officer of Argonaut.

Fischer and Stout’s roles will begin in January. Both will report to Publicis Groupe Chief Strategy Officer Carla Serrano. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Agnes and Alan to the team shepherding this new era for BBH USA,” Serrano said in a statement. “They bring the perfect blend of creative prowess, inherent curiosity and business-driving 'zagness' found at the heart of the agency." 

Duncan, who last year was named Ad Age’s A-list Executive of the Year, quickly scaled the ranks of the Publicis agency after first taking on the role of president of what was then BBH New York and later president of BBH USA before being named CEO. She became a key part of the agency’s recent growth, building the office from two to 11 client accounts. Two weeks into her job she reached out to Google for an idea that became its Black-Owned Friday campaign which saw its second iteration this year. 

BBH was also Duncan’s first foray into the agency world. She previously served as MTV’s senior VP of music, head of brand marketing at Martin Guitar, and chief marketing officer of Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment. In April she was named to the board of directors for Fender.