Jacoby Resigns as Head of Ad Industry Group

Robert E. Jacoby Jr., ousted recently as a top executive of Ted Bates Worldwide Inc., a major advertising agency, has resigned as chairman of a leading industry trade group, the American Assn. of Advertising Agencies.

The resignation comes halfway through Jacoby’s 10-month term as chairman and clears the way for the installation of the first woman to head the 69-year-old trade group.

The group said Charlotte Beers, presently vice chairman of the association and chairman and chief executive of the ad agency Tatham-Laird & Kudner of Chicago, “will act as chairman and will preside at meetings of the association’s board of directors and operations committee until the next annual meeting in March, 1987.”

As vice chairman of the trade group, she was in line to succeed Jacoby for a full term as chairman.

As chairman and chief executive at Bates, Jacoby negotiated the deal in which the agency was acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi for $450 million. The deal was the biggest acquisition ever in the ad business and made London-based Saatchi the world’s largest advertising company.

But last month, Jacoby was replaced as chairman and chief executive and offered a “senior management position” within the Saatchi organization.