PREVIEW / Some of the Business and Economic Events Happening Today

J. Walter Thompson Will Name New Chairwoman: J. Walter Thompson Co., a unit of WPP Group, the world’s No. 2 advertising and communications company, will name Charlotte Beers chairwoman as early as today, sources told Bloomberg News. Beers, formerly chairwoman and chief executive at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, a second WPP advertising company, will work with JWT Chief Executive Chris Jones on long-term strategic development for both clients and JWT, sources said. Beers held both jobs at O&M; from 1992 to 1996, when Shelly Lazarus became chief executive. Beers remained chairwoman until 1997. Beers led a resurgence of new business activity at O&M; under her leadership the company added clients such as IBM Corp. and Ford Motor Co.’s Jaguar. The IBM contract, reported to be worth about $500 million in new sales to the company, was said at the time to be the largest advertising account consolidation in the industry’s history.