WPP hires "Project Da Vinci" CEO

New York - Torrence Boone, president of Digitas Boston, will lead WPP's new global marketing agency, currently called Project Da Vinci, as CEO.

To date, WPP has appointed 500 people to Project Da Vinci around the world to service its first client Dell. This is expected to grow to approximately 1,000.

Da Vinci launched when it landed Dell's worldwide marketing services, previously handled by more than 800 firms.

Locally, the agency will be based in both Singapore and Beijing. Simon Jorth, former regional business director on Dell at Euro RSCG, will run operations for Da Vinci Asia Pacific out of Singapore. Steve Bale, former head of Nokia's global emerging markets at Bates Beijing, will lead Da Vinci's consumer unit.

Boone will be based in the agency's New York headquarters. He will report directly to Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive officer of WPP.

In a statement, Sorrell said the agency was "reinventing the approach for integrated marketing services."

"We believe that Project Da Vinci will provide a template for other clients with similar desires," Sorrell said.

WPP said the firm continues to recruit staff, establish offices and work on establishing a new name and identity, which it said would be introduced soon.