WPP Group has named Alex Norman to lead the social networking business it set up with LiveWorld.

Norman will be chief executive of the LiveWorld-WPP joint venture, set up in July, writes AdWeek. The venture is intended to bring LiveWorld services, such as creating and moderating message boards, blogs and social networks, to WPP clients and agencies. Norman was a senior marketing director at Endeavor Marketing, an event-marketing and promotions firm part-owned by Interpublic Group. He also worked five years at WPP shops.

Ogilvy, Wunderman and other WPP agencies have used LiveWorld's services, including a social network recently built for Wunderman client Land Rover in the U.K.