ADVERTISING

Young & Rubicam Chairman to Step Down: Alex Kroll said he will retire at the end of the year as chairman of New York-based Young & Rubicam Inc., one of the world’s biggest advertising companies. Kroll, 56, becomes the second Madison Avenue executive in a week to disclose plans to step down. Carl Spielvogel said last Thursday that he was stepping down as chairman of Bates Worldwide Inc. Kroll has been with Young & Rubicam for 32 years and has been chairman since 1986. He will be succeeded as chairman by Peter Georgesecu, 55, who took over from Kroll as chief executive in December. Young & Rubicam’s ads include those for Jell-O desserts, Colgate toothpaste and Metropolitan Life insurance.