Three new leaders at McCann Health

 

McCann Health has expanded its executive team with three significant appointments. Marcus Sigurdsson was named to the new position of global chief digital officer. Linda Szyper was appointed to the new position of global chief operating officer. June Laffey was named to the new position of executive VP, chief creative officer, McCann Health New York.

With the appointment of Sigurdsson, executives say McCann Health is signaling a heightened focus on enhancing its digital innovation and data and analytic capabilities, following a year of significant growth through the addition of new assignments and expanded relationships with existing clients such as GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer, and Janssen among others.

As regional chief digital officer for McCann Health in Asia Pacific since 2016, Sigurdsson worked closely with pharma, as well as telecommunications and technology companies, to develop innovative new marketing models and platforms and successfully drove business growth, which executives say directly contributed to some of McCann Health’s largest digital wins across the region.

According to McCann Health Global CEO John Cahill, “More and more, pharma and consumer healthcare clients are realizing that marketing solutions must seamlessly integrate digital innovation and data and analytics to be successful in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. In his new position, Marcus will lead the expansion of McCann Health’s world-class digital offering across our global network and play a pivotal role in further enhancing our existing digital capabilities for clients.”

Sigurdsson is working closely with Sean MacDonald, global chief digital officer of McCann Worldgroup, as a key member of the MWG Global Digital Leadership Community.

“Marcus is a proven leader who knows how to activate our highly collaborative global network, instituting our shared approach to strategy development, social marketing, innovation, and insights, analytics and performance,” MacDonald says. “Marcus will continue to leverage deep insights to help brands play a meaningful role in people’s lives, integrating digital into everything we do.”

Szyper will work closely with Cahill and the global leadership team to optimize the operations of the company’s global network to accommodate the rapid growth objectives of the organization.

“Linda brings with her a wealth of experience in driving both efficiency and effectiveness across diverse healthcare groups,” Cahill says. “These skills and her incredible experience in global healthcare communications will complement and enhance the McCann Health global leadership team and deliver real benefit to our growing roster of clients.”

Szyper has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare marketing, communications and product commercialization and has held a number of senior-level roles in major pharmaceutical and communication companies. Most recently, she was the chief commercial officer and president of US Operations for Circassia Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on respiratory diseases. Prior to Circassia, Szyper held the role of chief development officer at Publicis Healthcare Group, where she was responsible for the development and advancement of the various healthcare communication businesses worldwide.

“I’m excited to be joining McCann Health, one of the fastest-growing businesses in the industry, at a such a significant time in their history,” Szyper says. “I look forward to maximizing the operating efficiencies across the global network on behalf of clients and to help take the company to even greater heights. “

According to executives, Laffey’s leadership appointment in New York follows impressive growth over the last three years with McCann HumanCare more than tripling in size, and McCann Healthcare gaining a more diversified business portfolio.

“June’s passion and love for this business is infectious,” says Jeremy Perrott, global chief creative officer for McCann Health. “Her reputation as team builder, team player, collaborator, mentor and business builder go before her. But it’s her creative ability to deliver consistently award-winning solutions for big and small clients, for complex brands in Rx and consumer, that her reputation comes to life. I’m excited to have June at McCann Health New York to lift the creative product even higher and build on the agency’s very successful growth.”

According to Leo Tarkovsky, president of McCann Health NY, “I am absolutely thrilled to partner with such a word-class creative leader as June in order to take our integrated creative offering to the next level. Together, we will strive to offer breakthrough ideas to our clients that will enable them to transform their businesses and win in the highly cluttered and competitive health and wellness category of today and tomorrow.”

Laffey joined McCann Health Sydney in 2010 as executive creative director, McCann Health Sydney, and under her leadership the agency quickly became the most awarded healthcare agency in the APAC region. During her nearly eight years with the network, executives say she earned a reputation for being a great team-builder and consistently producing world-class award-winning work: work that gets recognized not just locally, but regionally and globally as well. She moved to New York from Sydney, Australia and took up her new post in early February.

“I am feeling blessed and humbled at this amazing opportunity with the McCann family,” Laffey says. “For me, coming to New York means new beginnings and a new opportunity to make a difference with ideas that can change, empower and even save lives. Most of all, I look forward to building and creating an environment where innovation and creativity thrive in a vibrant, IdeaCentric culture.”

Laffey has served as regional executive creative director for McCann Health Australia & Southeast Asia since 2016. She was chairman of the Pharma Jury for 2017 Cannes Lions Health and also holds the distinction of being the most awarded female creative leader in the history of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with June during my tenure in APAC and she is an absolute power house of creativity and talent,” says Amar Urhekar, president, McCann Health Americas. “I’m looking forward to welcoming June in her new role in NY and as a part of the senior leadership team across MHNA.”