Helena Shelton, EVP, director of trading at MediaCom will be leaving her role to join PHD Canada, the agency confirmed today. The move might happen as early as next couple of weeks, says Fred Forster, president of PHD Canada.

‘She brings tremendous leadership and negotiation skill to our team and it’s just how we want to go forward, and where we think we need to have strength in an evolving marketplace,’ Forster tells MiC.

Shelton was promoted to her current position at MediaCom in February 2008, having led the broadcast buying unit at MBS/The Media Company over the previous decade. Forster says Shelton will be part of the executive management team at PHD, working closely with the senior team and overseeing PHD’s ‘entire negotiations.’

‘Her reputation is of someone who is very good at managing a large book of business, and has been very successful with building strong relationships with our supplier partners,’ Forster says. ‘We’re in a business where we can’t stand still. We have to stay ahead of the curve and we felt that this was an opportunity for us to continue to do that.’

PHD Canada has offices in Toronto and Montreal, and their major clients include Scotiabank, Dove, Peroni, Loblaws and the Quebec Milk Bureau.