NEW YORK--Text 100 has restructured its global leadership, with Rowan Benecke relocating to New York to head North America.

Benecke succeeds regional director Scott Friedman, who is leaving after almost a decade with the Next Fifteen firm.

Benecke's move is part of a global restructuring that will see both Europe and Asia-Pacific now consolidate under the leadership of one executive for each region.

Two years ago, Text 100 split the two regions into smaller collections of markets in a bid to create a "flatter management structure," according to global CEO Aedhmar Hynes.

At the time, Benecke was put in charge of Central and Southern EMEA, based in Madrid. The entire EMEA region will now be headed by Cecile Missildine, who previously oversaw France. Northern Europe regional director Sarah MacKenzie, currently on maternity leave, will become EVP in charge of client consultancy and global marketing when she returns in October. 

Similarly, leadership of Asia-Pacific will now consolidate under Anne Costello, who formerly led South Asia. North Asia regional director Steven Murphy is leaving the agency.

Benecke, McKenzie and Costello will continue to report to Hynes.

Benecke told the Holmes Report that the changes aim to help Text 100 take better advantage of digital opportunities. Earlier this year, global social media lead Jeremy Woolf relocated to New York from Hong Kong; the firm has also hired former Edelman digital creative director Peter DiBart as a digital VP in New York.

"We’re focusing more on digital," said Benecke. "By reducing our executive leadership team we want to be quicker and more focused." 

The changes follow a leadership meeting earlier this year, where the firm attempted to hammer out a strategy to acccelerate its digital development.

"Having these well-planned departures has given me the opportunity to rethink my global leadership team," said Hynes, in a statement on the agency's website. "What’s the best structure, who are the right individuals and where should they be based to drive and focus the business on digital?"

Benecke denied that the restructuring indicated the 2010 reshuffle had been unsuccessful. "It served a purpose at the time, when you’ve got markets at different speeds."

He also noted that both Friedman and Murphy opted to leave the agency in separate, independent decisions.

"I’ve cherished the time I’ve had to work with both Steven and Scott and appreciate the value they’ve brought to Text100 over the years," added Hynes. "But I’m also really looking forward to seeing how the dynamic changes we’re making will drive the growth of the company in the coming years."

Earlier this year, Text 100 was named Asia-Pacific Digital Consultancy of the Year 2012 by the Holmes Report.