Denstu Group has promoted André Andrade to the role of chief executive (CEO) for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA). He will now oversee the integrated growth strategy and business execution for the network within the region.

Andrade will join Dentsu’s community of regional CEOs, which is overseen by recently appointed group chief operating officer (COO) Giulio Malegori. He will also sit on the Dentsu Group executive management team.

Andrade succeeds Malegori, who previously held the role of CEO for EMEA.

The executive originally joined Dentsu (then Aegis Media) in 2004 as CEO for Portugal before moving to Madrid in 2011 to take on responsibility for Spain. He then led the network’s Iberia and Sub-Saharan Africa (IBSSA) office in the two years that followed.

With this latest promotion to lead Dentsu EMEA, Andrade will be responsible for 16,000 people across 45 markets. He will be tasked with delivering innovation and people-centered transformation for clients as part of his remit.

“André has shown passion and commitment to bringing together the best of dentsu and spearheaded innovation to deliver integrated solutions at scale,” said Hiroshi Igarashi, President and CEO, Dentsu Group, in a statement. “I am looking forward to working in close collaboration as we continue to focus on putting our clients at the center and delivering a seamless, integrated experience, driving growth and competitive advantage.”

Another element of the role will see Andrade oversee Dentu’s client and solutions hub for EMEA, where he will take charge of driving client-focused strategies to drive integrated growth solutions across the region.

“Having worked with André for many years, I have witnessed first-hand his commitment to leading teams, transforming businesses, and driving client growth,” Malegori said in a statement. “He has extensive understanding of the Europe, Middle East and Africa region which means he is well positioned to understand the diverse needs of our people, clients and consumers.”

In August, the group revealed that organic revenue had declined year on year by 4.7%, claiming that it had been impacted by “continued conservatism” from its technology and finance clients.