Y&R Chicago Names John Fraser President

Y&R has announced the appointment of John Fraser as President of Y&R Chicago.  Fraser will lead the strategic vision and growth of the agency, whose clients include Bel Brands, Butterball, BMO Harris Bank, Carfax, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree Hotels and Famous Footwear.  He comes on board March 18th.

Kary McIlwain, who has worked with Y&R for 26 years in both its New York and Chicago offices will step into the role of Non-Executive Chairman of Y&R Chicago through the latter part of 2015 to assure a smooth transition.

“John is an inspiring leader with deep knowledge of the Chicago market and a proven track record of growth for both agencies and marketers. His entrepreneurial approach is perfectly suited to our culture and client base,” said Y&R global CEO David Sable.

“I’m grateful to Kary for having led Y&R Chicago to so many successes. She has been a great champion of her people and a steadfast advocate for her clients and their brands.  After 26 years at Y&R we can understand that she is ready to start a new chapter. She will remain for the next several months to support the business through transition,” added Sable.

Fraser has had a dynamic career to date, consisting of a mix of agency and account leadership roles and the co-founding of multiple companies, including beverage company Rosa’s Horchata LLC, brand strategy firm Brand Team Partners and the highly regarded advertising agency Element 79. He joins Y&R from mcgarrybowen Chicago, where he was Chief Operating Officer and Group Managing Director and led multiple client accounts. Fraser has also held account leadership roles at FCB Chicago/Bayer Bess Vanderwarker and Leo Burnett Chicago.

“I am thrilled to join such an iconic agency. We have a really strong team here in Chicago, and we’re supported by some of the smartest people and best strategic resources of any global ad network,” said Fraser. “I’m excited to play a role in the continued growth and evolution of Y&R Chicago.”