Looks like the allure of leading U.S. planning efforts for Pepsi at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA wasn’t enough to keep Clyde McKendrick aboard as the group planning director has left the agency to take on the executive strategy director post at WDCW L.A. The U.K. native was one of three new planning hires at Chiat LA last August along with Neil Saunders and Modernista! alum Catherine Heath.

WDCW, of course, is the agency formerly known as Wongdoody and its CEO Ben Weiner says of the shop’s new hire, “We’re all thrilled to have Clyde join us at this exciting stage of our agency evolution. He brings an intuitive sense for building brands which is crucial to our vision of being an agency at the forefront of cultural innovation.”

As for background, McKendrick is a 15-year strategy vet who not only founded London-based The Open Consultancy but is also creator and editor of “cultural insight” firm MILK.