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Do You Do, Ken Roman, Ogilvy Biographer?  The former Ogilvy &
Mather CEO explains the impact of his mentor's advertising
credos on today's agency successes  By Matt Van Hoven - April
15, 2009 In advertising, the role of assistant account executive
is about as low on the totem pole as you can get. That's where
former Ogilvy & Mather CEO Ken Roman began his career back in
1962, but unlike his 20-something counterparts, Roman was 32
when he started. "I was probably the world's oldest assistant
account executive," recalls Roman, now retired and focusing on
writing. "A couple of lessons come out of this... never take a
job for money or title. Never. You take a job that has two
things: It's a great company or a great brand, and it gives you
great training."  Rising to the top of Ogilvy & Mather was never
in Roman's plans. He studied English at Dartmouth, and hoped to
become a newspaper man. "The newspapers were going out of
business," he says. "This was