GroupM CEO Brian Lesser Revamps Global Leadership Structure

  Rassegna Stampa, Social
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GroupM CEO Brian Lesser unveiled a new global leadership structure and team Tuesday for the media investment arm of holding company WPP.

Lesser spoke with ADWEEK earlier this month and said he was in a “massive hurry” to advance GroupM’s business, adding that he believes GroupM must shift from “a collection of companies to one company” by streamlining planning, activation, and measurement methodologies with data and technology at its core, and that it will need to reorganize and acquire assets to streamline its strategies but not simply for scale.

Lesser returned to GroupM last September following stints leading AT&T’s new ad business and serving as CEO of data firm InfoSum. Lesser had been GroupM’s North American CEO from 2015 through 2017.

Emily Del Greco will join GroupM in February as global chief operating officer, overseeing operations, partnerships, strategy, corporate development, and the company’s activation and investment practices. She had been a partner at McKinsey & Co. for the past five years.

Adam Gerhart, CEO of WPP’s Mindshare and a 20-year veteran of the agency, will become global chief client officer at GroupM, overseeing major accounts and client engagement strategy across all agencies globally, and working in close partnership with WPP.

Toby Jenner, global president, GroupM clients, was named global chief business officer, responsible for the company’s to-market proposition, growth, marketing, and cross-WPP integration projects.

Global COO and 19-year GroupM veteran Mark Patterson is now global president, markets and business operations, overseeing the Asia-Pacific and Latin America markets and driving business initiatives including the expansion of the company’s offshore capabilities and its entertainment and sports offerings.

GroupM said there are no departures from the company because of the changes that were announced Tuesday, and global chief financial officer Stuart Diamond, global chief people officer Marie-Claire Barker, North America CEO Sharb Farjami, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) CEO Josh Krichefski, and Latin America CEO Cesar Recalde will continue their roles as part of its global leadership team.

The company added that global agency operations will be managed by a president for global client solutions who will oversee delivery for global and multinational clients at each agency.

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