SMITH APPOINTED VICE PRESIDENT OF DIGITAL PRACTICE  

TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2000 - Stéfan Danis, President and CEO of Mandrake, is pleased to announce that David Smith has been promoted within the firm to Vice President of the Digital Practice. 

Smith began his career with Procter & Gamble in Brand Management. After P&G, Smith joined Bates Advertising, where he held progressive positions ranging from Account Executive to Account Supervisor. Smith's next move was to Young & Rubicam, where once again he rapidly progressed from Account Supervisor to Vice President, Group Director. 

From Y&R, Smith joined Prism Communications as Managing Director and partner in Canada's largest retail agency, and was integral in taking the company through an amalgamation process when it was sold to Bozell. Smith's achievements at Bozell led him to become President of the Marketing and Promotion Group, one of Canada's leading strategic promotional agencies. As a President under 40 years of age heading up a large organization, Smith was also accepted as a member of the Young Presidents Organization. 

Having joined Mandrake in October of 1999 as a Consultant, Smith has been integral in helping to grow the firm in the areas of e-commerce, emerging media, Internet, information technology telecommunications and wireless. 

"I've known Dave since 1985 when we worked together at P&G," said Danis. "He's a natural for the business; consistently delivers great solutions to clients and can provide that sound counsel customers need to face this raging war for talent."

"Applying my background to executive search is both an exciting challenge and appropriate career progression for me," said Smith. "I am proud to lead this growing field with such a distinguished organization as Mandrake." 

Established in 1970, Mandrake's services include Executive Search, Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategic Alliances, and Organizational Consulting. With offices in Toronto, Montréal and Calgary, practice areas include Marketing, Sales, Advertising and Communications, Creative Services, Finance, Retail, Healthcare, Information Technology, and Interactive and Emerging Technologies. 

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For more information contact: David Smith at (416) 922-5600 ext. 328, e-mail smith@mandrake.ca. Or Julie Argles, Marketing Communications Coordinator at (416) 922-5600, ext. 350, e-mail argles@mandrake.ca.