World: Bartle Bogle Hegarty builds its US momentum.

If, as it claims, BBH is happiest with a mountain to climb, its new US bosses should all be smiling, as Ann Cooper explains.

For the past two decades, Bartle Bogle Hegarty has been famous for brilliant creative, its culture, its no-pitch policy and the integrity of its founders - symbolised by a black-sheep logo and a philosophy of zagging when everyone else is zigging. But, as the network enters its next phase, with plans to enter China, and a new US management team charged with raising the bar from a 'seven' to a 'nine', how is it approaching the next two decades?

Kevin Roddy, the new US executive creative director in New York, is raring to go, despite a few pre-race nerves. 'My role is to keep the momentum going and speed things up,' he says. Why did he take the job? 'It's BBH, the best agency on the planet. Is it a challenge? Is it scary? Absolutely.'

The new chief executive, Gwyn Jones, imported from the London office after a five-year run that saw billings grow some 64 per cent to dollars 640 million, also describes his outlook in energetic terms. 'We're a restless agency, happiest when we have a mountain to climb,' he says. 'Most global clients reside in the US, so we've an opportunity to build relationships we can bring to the rest of the BBH network.'

Cindy Gallop, the former chief executive and the recently anointed chairman and group chief marketing officer, is leading the charge globally. 'The biggest challenge is ensuring that the BBH experience is the same everywhere,' she says.

Six years on from its US launch, Gallop says the agency has done far better than expected, with a claimed dollars 350 million in billings and a staff of 130. 'If you're not in the US, you forget how big it is,' she says.

'It took Crispin Porter & Bogusky 39 years to become the hottest agency in the US. If you look at how long it took Fallon or Wieden, we're ahead of the curve. Could we do better? Absolutely.'