Time Warner Inc. has picked Laura Lang, chief executive of the digital-ad firm Digitas, to run its Time Inc. magazine-publishing division, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lang's hire, which could be announced as early as Wednesday, would put the head of one of the largest digital agencies in charge of the biggest U.S. magazine publisher at a time when Time Inc. and others grapple with a murky print-advertising picture and the migration of consumers to digital devices.
Lang took over Digitas in 2008, according to the firm's website. She joined Digitas in 1999 and led its New York office before being named head of U.S. operations in 2004. Before joining Digitas, she was president of Marketing Corporation of America, a marketing-communications company. Prior to that, she led the consulting practice at Yankelovich Clancy Shulman.
Digitas is owned by Publicis.
Lang's hire caps a lengthy search that began about nine months ago after Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes unexpectedly fired former CEO Jack Griffin for what the Time Warner chief characterized as a clash of styles.
Time Warner tapped recruiter Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. to lead the search.
A spokesman for Time Inc. was unavailable for comment.
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