Changing Guards at Aegis and AOL

Some interesting people notes coming in this week indicate sea changes in the digital ad industry The outspoken and ubiquitous Madison Ave. figure David Verklin steps down from his CEO post at media agency Aegis Media as the long-time Mad Man makes a planned departure. His protégé Sarah Fey takes the job as Aegis announces a reorganization. Verklin says he is moving on to a new stage in his career, probably involving media rather than another agency. Part of Verklin’s legacy at Aegis is initiating a full integration of traditional and digital media planning, a move that is being echoed throughout other major agencies.
Meanwhile at the always-tumultuous AOL, Tacoda continues to disappear soemwhere within the Platform A plan. In what looks to be an almost total removal of old blood from the Platform A and AOL bloodstream, Tacoda president Daniel Jaye leaves AOL, following Curt Viebranz and David Morgan’s recent departure from the company. Other members of the marketing and ad sales group also exited AOL as new Platform A head Linda Clarizio accelerates the consolidation of technologies and teams in the AOL ad networks.