David Campbell, co-president of GroupM agency MediaCom Canada, is taking on the new position of president-CEO of GroupM Canada. GroupM North America president-CEO Marc Goldstein made the announcement yesterday in what he called ‘a critical move for the development of GroupM in our region.’

Campbell will be responsible for GroupM’s Canadian media investment management assets and will oversee the coordination of joint services provided by GroupM operating units MAXUS, MediaCom, Mediaedge:cia and MindShare.

Campbell says that GroupM agencies in Canada have been informally collaborating on buys at the TV upfronts for the past two years. The goal now will be to deepen that collaboration and extend it into other media. Other areas will also see resources and best practices shared, such as interaction, search, content development, research and IT.

Campbell joined MBS (now MediaCom) from Ogilvy & Mather as associate media director in 1973 and was one of the first members of the MBS team to pioneer the independent media agency concept in the early 1970s. According to RECMA, MediaCom Canada grew by more than $70 million in 2006, the largest growth by any media agency in the country, with billings of $787 million.