• Monday, Feb. 9, 2015
People on the Move
180 hires Mike Harris as global chief strategy officer
Mike Harris
  • SANTA MONICA, Calif.
  • --

Mike Harris joins ad agency 180 this week in the newly created position of global chief strategy officer. Harris will work across 180’s offices in Santa Monica and Amsterdam to drive new business growth as well as tackle high-level strategic opportunities for the agency’s clients. He joins the agency’s executive management team; including William Gelner (chief creative officer, 180LA), Michael Allen (global CEO), Al Moseley (president and chief creative officer, 180 Amsterdam), and Chris Mendola (founder/chairman). 

Harris most recently served as president of creative advertising services for Deluxe Entertainment. Prior to that, his career includes running DDB California as president & CEO, founding agency twofifteenmccann San Francisco, serving as chief strategy officer for TBWA\Chiat\Day, San Francisco, and spending five years each as an account person at Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Y&R in San Francisco. His work has garnered multiple global Effies and Cannes Grand Prix honors, and he has a campaign in the Clio Hall of Fame. Along with his creative and strategic accolades, Harris has helped drive growth for clients across a variety of categories. 

Harris’ new appointment follows 180 Amsterdam’s hiring of executive creative directors Dave Canning and Dan Treichel. Their books include breakthrough work for ESPN, Southern Comfort, and Climate Name Change.

An Omnicom subsidiary, 180 had numerous account wins last year and grew their business with existing clients like HP (who now engages both offices), Mitsubishi, PlayStation, Qatar Airways, and DHL. Other clients include Pepsi, Expedia, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Boost Mobile, and Replay Jeans.

Last year 180LA won two Effies for strategic effectiveness with Expedia and adidas, while 180 Amsterdam was awarded the Euro Grand Prix Effie for its work on PlayStation.

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