BSB Irvine, Renamed BSB West, Appoints Top Managers

Marketing company Backer Spielvogel Bates announced changes to its West Coast operation Tuesday that set the stage for future expansion and management succession, a spokeswoman said.

The local office of the New York-based agency was renamed BSB West, formerly BSB Irvine. BSB West consists of a full-service office with about 80 employees in Irvine and a media service office, which buys television time and arranges print ads, that employs three in Los Angeles.

Also, Michael Roche, 63, has been named chairman of BSB West, a newly created position. He reports to the chairman and chief executive in New York, Michael Bungey. Roche formerly held the post of executive vice president/western region director.

And John Noble, 53, has been appointed president and executive creative director of BSB West, also a newly created position. Noble, who joined the company in early 1992, was executive vice president/creative director for the western region. He will report to Roche.

Clients of the agency’s western regional office include Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Dealer Associations, CBS Entertainment and Malaysia Airlines. The company estimates its billings for the office at $150 million.

BSB is the U.S. advertising agency of Backer Spielvogel Bates Worldwide, a marketing communications company with 178 offices in 55 countries and reported annual billings of $5.1 billion.