Omnicom-owned DDB Paris’ chief executive Jean-Luc Bravi will step aside after nearly 23 years, with Alexander Kalchev and Paul Ducré set to jointly succeed him.
Bravi will become the chairman of the agency, a newly created position that will allow him to remain involved in the 26-year-old business that began as Louis XIV in 1994 to service the Volkswagen account and manage the Audi brand at a national and international level.
The agency merged with DDB in 20221, with Bravi being named as co-CEO while the agency continues to handle the Volkswagen account.
DDB Paris also works with brands such as Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Ubisoft, Uber, TAG Heuer, Unesco and Amnesty International.
Kalchev will step up from executive creative director, a position he has held since 2015, while Ducré has been managing director since 2017. The pair have worked together on and off since 2004.
In partnership, they have been charged with using their combined international experience to elevate DDB’s global reach even further.
“To me, appointing Alexander and Paul as CEOs of DDB Paris is the natural choice. These two highly competitive team players embody the core values that define the strength of our agency: They’re ‘both nice and talented,’” said Bravi in a statement.
“Today, Paris stands as a creative powerhouse alongside cities like London and Amsterdam, becoming a primary hub for international brands,” added Kalchev.
Kalchev is also on the International Board of Directors for The One Club, and has seen the agency win over 40 Lions in Cannes since he took charge of the creative team, while also picking up prizes at the Eurobest Awards and D&AD.
In 2013, he won a Silver Lion in Cannes for the first film he directed, “The Centaur” for Honda.
