CHICAGO—MSLGroup has appointed Brad Wilks as managing director of its North America Midwest operations, responsible for offices in Chicago and Detroit. Wilks will report to Renee Wilson, president of MSL North America.

The Detroit office focuses on the automotive sector, including General Motors, one of the agency’s largest clients. MSL Chicago has a diverse book of business that includes Delta Faucet, DeVry University and clients in the food and beverage category.

Wilks, who most recently served as managing director and head of Sard Verbinnen & Co’s Chicago office, succeeds Joel Curran who transferred to the role of managing director of MSL New York in September. He will be responsible for all aspects of business strategy, performance, growth, client service and talent at both MSL Chicago and MSL Detroit.

At Sard Verbinnen, Wilks served as a counselor to senior executives, managing important corporate issues such as restructurings and bankruptcies, proxy contests, litigation and crisis communications, product recalls and senior executive changes. Previously, for six years, he was the managing director and head of the Chicago office of Ogilvy Public Relations. And prior to that, he was senior vice president and partner at Fleishman-Hillard.

Wilks served as director of investor relations for Ball Corporation from 1989-1995 and is a past chairman of the board of the National Investor Relations Institute.