Gravity Global has promoted president Jose Lozano to chief executive officer (CEO), succeeding founder Mark Lethbridge, who becomes executive chairman, the agency told ADWEEK exclusively.

The move positions Gravity for its biggest test yet: proving an independent, PE-backed network can grow to holding-company scale while staying nimble—and preparing for the AI era.

In this next phase, the agency needs to adopt a business mindset to stay competitive, Lozano told ADWEEK. He plans to “deliver a future-fit business” through acquisitions, proprietary tech, and hybrid human-AI workflows, while avoiding the silos and bureaucracy that slow down larger rivals.

Since 2019, Gravity has acquired 12 businesses across the U.S., Europe, and APAC, including Denver-based social agency VOCO and U.S. media agency Marketing Doctor. In 2021, private equity firm Elysian Capital backed a management buyout, fueling further expansion. The agency now employs more than 500 people across 16 offices.

As holding companies consolidate, Gravity is positioning itself as an independent challenger.

AI as a partner

Under Lozano’s leadership, Gravity will be continue to adopt AI across its operations. As the industry faces mounting pressure on procurement costs and labor models, he believes Gravity’s survival depends on changing how it produces work.

“If we [don’t], we won’t be here 10 years from now,” he said. “Agencies won’t be here, because automation is at our heels.”

Gravity’s 65-person technology team works alongside creative, media, social, and strategy groups to embed AI throughout their work, from tools that can simulate brand messaging and audience reactions to systems that check for quality and compliance, according to chief innovation officer Josh Okun.

Campaigns are now going to market in weeks instead of months, production costs are dropping, and development timelines are being cut nearly in half, Okun said. Beyond efficiencies, AI is allowing for “richer creative exploration, smarter orchestration of media, and new levels of integration between teams and disciplines,” he said.

Lozano stressed that Gravity’s approach is not about replacing people. The company is “looking at every single role, every single job,” to find “where we can partner with AI… to [augment] human thought, which is what creates differentiation in our business,” he said.

“When you want to bring it to life and show some versions, AI can be a great partner,” he added.

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