Bert Metter Rehired by Thompson

Bert Metter, who abruptly resigned as chief executive of the J. Walter Thompson ad agency one year ago during a period of management turmoil, has been rehired as chairman of the company’s U.S. operations.

In the newly created post, Metter, 60, will report to James Patterson, chief executive of the New York agency’s U.S. company. Metter, who has mostly worked as a consultant since leaving the firm, could not be reached for comment late Thursday.

The addition of Metter “rounds out the (Thompson) management team,” Patterson said. Last week, Thompson’s worldwide company named two new vice chairmen to assist company Chairman Burton Manning in day-to-day operations.

Metter will primarily coordinate Thompson’s U.S. new business efforts, Patterson said. The agency is a unit of WPP Group PLC, a British-based marketing company.

Thompson also announced that William M. Lane, general manager of Thompson’s San Francisco office, will move to the agency’s New York office this fall as co-executive creative director.