Grey New York has announced that it has promoted Debby Reiner, president of the agency’s global P&G business, to CEO. She is the first woman to lead the agency’s 1,100-person flagship shop.
Michael Houston, global president of Grey and CEO of North America, previously led the agency’s New York office. Last December, Grey’s New York president and chief creative officer Tor Myhren left the agency to join Apple as its vice president of marketing and communications.
Reiner joined Grey in 1989 to work on the agency’s CoverGirl account. After joining J. Walter Thompson to run the Clairol business, she returned to Grey in 1999 to lead the global reinvention of P&G’s Pantene.
According to Grey, Reiner has helped turn the agency into “the number one beauty agency in the world with iconic juggernaut brands such as Pantene, Clairol, CoverGirl and an array of fragrances. She was a key player in developing the agency’s integrated offering encompassing digital, shopper marketing, activation and Hispanic communications.”
Reiner also led the team that won the global Gillette account in 2013 and later added Venus, Braun and the Art of Shaving to the agency’s roster.
“She has been a prime mover in making Grey a creative and new business powerhouse,” said Houston in a statement. “Her passion, skill, dynamism and dedication to excellence have endeared her to clients and colleagues alike.”
