Manning Will Return to JWT

Less than a year after leaving the troubled J. Walter Thompson advertising agency as its chairman and chief executive, Burton J. Manning will return to the top post at the New York ad firm.

The move was announced by WPP Group PLC, the new owner of Thompson’s holding company, JWT Group. Manning succeeds Joseph O’Donnell, who was fired last year after he led a short-lived effort by an outside group to gain control of the company. Manning has been a principal with the New York ad agency Jordan, Manning, Case, Taylor & McGrath.

WPP also said that the top executives of JWT’s three other major divisions will retain their positions.

Robert Dilenschneider will continue as president and chief executive of the public relations firm Hill & Knowlton. Frank Stanton will remain as chairman and chief executive of the research firm MRB Group Inc. And Dick Lord will stay on as chairman and chief executive of the ad firm Lord, Geller, Federico, Einstein Inc.