DDB Worldwide's Wendy Clark to join Dentsu Aegis Network as Global CEO
Clark will report to Tim Andree, Executive Chairman of Dentsu Aegis Network
Dentsu Aegis Network, headquartered in London, today announces the appointment of Wendy Clark as Global CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN). This pivotal hire follows a transformational period focused on growth and scaling the business globally and builds on DAN’s objective to deliver world-class marketing services and integrated solutions which are data-driven, tech-enabled and ideas-led.
Wendy brings almost 30 years’ of industry experience as a delivery-focused leader, having worked for global brands such as The Coca-Cola Company and AT&T, as well as industry-leading agency roles. She joins Dentsu Aegis Network in September 2020 from Omnicom Group where she held the role of Global President & CEO for DDB Worldwide. Prior to Omnicom, Wendy spent seven years at The Coca-Cola Company in global and regional operating roles, culminating in her promotion to Coca-Cola's President of Sparkling Brands and Strategic Marketing.
Speaking on her new role, Wendy Clark said, “It’s both an incredible honour and deep responsibility to join DAN at this crucial time. Given such unprecedented global change, it’s more important than ever that we’re completely focused on creating insightful, informed, important ideas for brands, businesses and their customers.”
She continued, “The focused investments made by DAN over the last few years to acquire and grow the right assets, talent and capabilities, enabling modern marketing solutions, is undeniable and ready-made for today’s marketplace and beyond.”
Clark added, “It is hugely compelling to me to help continue Dentsu’s rich legacy of constant innovation and industry leadership over the last 100 years. I’ve had the privilege of working for brands and companies with powerful heritages and that’s informed my enduring belief that great brands and companies benefit from having a foot in their past and a foot in their future. It’s a massive competitive advantage that Dentsu has decades of know-how and experience that serve both as a foundation and a built-in benchmark to continue to drive the company forward.”
“I genuinely can’t wait to meet the 42,000+ associates of DAN later in the year – when the world emerges from this significant period of change and turbulence - so we can roll up our sleeves and get to work creating value and impact for our clients, together.”
Clark is recognised for her modern leadership approach that includes her celebrated philosophy ‘lift as you climb’ translating to taking talent with you as you grow. It is this inspirational style that has been widely acknowledged by the industry including having been named Ad Age Executive of the Year (2017).
Clarke will report to Tim Andree, Executive Chairman, Dentsu Aegis Network and will be appointed Executive Officer Dentsu Group Inc. at the same time as she joins the business in September with the approval of the Board of Dentsu Group Inc. Tim has been Executive Chairman of DAN since its founding in 2013, adding the CEO role to his responsibilities for the past 15 months, and he has led the search process.
Tim Andree, Executive Chairman, Dentsu Aegis Network, said, “Following a thorough and considered global search, I am happy to welcome Wendy as our new CEO and look forward to working together to drive our ambitious agenda forward. With her combined experience of walking in the shoes of the client, coupled with her leadership in running a large global creative agency network, Wendy is the stand-out choice for the role. Her experience is hugely complementary to DAN’s growth plans over the coming decade where Dentsu’s long-standing history of client-centricity combined with an ability to deliver fully integrated solutions will be critical. Wendy will join us as the world is emerging from a period of unprecedented challenges. I am confident that her strong leadership style and comprehensive experience will inspire our people, connect with our clients to help drive their brands forward and continue our focus on providing integrated global solutions while building excellence into every part of the rapidly changing marketing ecosystem we serve.”
Purpose-built for the digital age, Dentsu Aegis has focused on acquiring relevant, high-performance businesses globally in high growth areas including data, brand commerce, customer experience, performance marketing and social & mobile. As the most acquisitive agency group Dentsu Aegis Network has welcomed over 177 acquisitions in the last six years, most notably, the Merkle acquisition placing Dentsu Aegis Network as the market leader for data, analytics and CRM.
Toshi Yamamoto, President & CEO Dentsu Group Inc. comments: “This is a key time for our business as we bring Dentsu Aegis Network and Dentsu Japan Network closer together for the benefit of clients and our people. Our philosophy is that innovation can come from anyone, anywhere, and it is clear Wendy shares our passion for discovering new and better ways to solve client challenges and will be motivating and inspiring for our global workforce. Her blend of global marketing experiences makes her the ideal leader for the role and importantly will allow her to marshal our world-class capabilities to align with changing client needs.”
Tim Andree has been on a health-related leave of absence since January. Andree returned to his role as Director of Dentsu Group Inc. last month and will return to his other roles at Dentsu and DAN in a phased approach. During this period, Toshi Yamamoto continues as Acting Executive Chairman & CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network, in addition to his role as President & CEO Dentsu Group Inc.
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BW People Management Leadership & Strategy Summit and Exceptional Managers Awards
The initiative, on April 30, will honour the remarkable talent that has supported the expansion and management effectiveness of their respective organisations
The highly anticipated BW People Management Leadership & Strategy Summit & Exceptional Managers Awards 2024, the latest initiative that recognises and celebrates the achievements of managers and leaders who have diligently and strategically worked to advance their organisations, is set to take place on 30 April 2024 at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Delhi Airport. The initiative will be organised and launched by BW Businessworld to celebrate the pillars of successful organisations.
The Management Leadership & Strategy Summit will welcome visionaries, thought leaders, and industry experts to explore the latest trends, innovations and strategies shaping the future of management and leadership. This summit serves as a platform for executives, managers, entrepreneurs and professionals from diverse sectors to exchange ideas, gain insights, and network with peers. From exploring cutting-edge management techniques to discussing transformative leadership approaches and strategic business insights, this summit promises to inspire, educate, and empower attendees to navigate the dynamic landscape of modern leadership and management effectively.
The Exceptional Managers Awards will serve as a platform to honour the remarkable talent that has supported the expansion and management effectiveness of their respective organisations. The awards were judged by a panel of industry experts consisting of Atul Sobti, Director General- SCOPE, Former CMD- BHEL; Sangeeta Shah Bhardwaj, Professor Information Management Area, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon; Nida Khanam, HR Director- Greater India, Socomec Group; Punam Sahgal, Former Dean & Professor- Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow; Shaleen Manik, CHRO, Transsion India (itel, Tecno & Infinix Mobiles); Rajesh Nair, Executive President & CHRO, Polycab India; Sudip Verma, Chief Enabler, Vgain World; Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-chief- BW Businessworld and Founder- Exchange4Media; Aparna Sengupta, Group Director- Revenue, BW Businessworld; and Talees Rizvi, Director- BW People & BW CFO World.
"We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Management Leadership & Strategy Summit & Exceptional Managers Awards, which aims to celebrate the achievements of managers and professionals who are shaping the future of the industry," said Talees Rizvi, Director – BW People & BW CFO World. "This initiative will provide a platform for recognition, inspiration, and celebration of the exceptional minds who have led their organisations to success.”
The initiative will recognise the success of every aspect of the workplace and the award categories were open to all enterprises across industries. The categories for nominations included Exceptional HR Managers; Exceptional Marketing Managers; Exceptional Finance Managers; Exceptional Advertising & PR; Exceptional Facility Managers; Exceptional Supply Chain Managers; Exceptional Sales Managers; Exceptional Information Technology Managers; Exceptional R&D Managers; Exceptional Customer Service Managers; Exceptional Accounts Managers; and Exceptional Operations Managers. The ceremony will conclude with presenting the hallmark awards consisting of Tech Innovator of the Year; Youngest Manager of the Year; and Women Exceptional Manager of the Year. The evaluation of the entries was scrutinised by the esteemed jury panel.
To learn more about the BW People Management Leadership & Strategy Summit & Exceptional Managers Awards, visit the website.
ShareDentsu Creative PR bags Drone Destination's mandate
Dentsu Creative PR will leverage its PR expertise to formulate & execute communication strategies for Drone Destination
Drone Destination, a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) company listed on the National Stock Exchange (Stock Code - DRONE), today announced its association with Dentsu Creative PR as its official public relations & investor relations agency. Dentsu Creative PR will leverage its PR expertise to formulate & execute communication strategies for Drone Destination, as well as manage media relations from its Gurugram office.
Commenting on the association, Alok Sharma, Chairman of Drone Destination said, “As we undertake steps to do our bit towards the Hon’ble PM's vision of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, it gives me pleasure to partner with one of the most experienced and respected agencies in the country – Dentsu Creative PR. Communication and stakeholder engagement is extremely critical in business, especially in a sunrise industry like Drones. Their understanding of our business and strategic insight-led engagement will certainly strengthen and reinforce our market positioning while benefiting the industry as well. We look forward to working on a wide range of initiatives having multiple ramifications to transform the current scheme of things across businesses and governance.”
Dwelling upon the importance of this partnership for the development of a healthy drone ecosystem in the country, Chirag Sharma, MD & CEO of Drone Destination said, “Drone Destination has embarked upon an ambitious journey to make India self-reliant in each and every aspect of drone technology. Our offerings and quality of products and services are finding resonance with industry stakeholders including the country’s financial markets. We are confident that this association will help the audiences take notice of the impact, efficiency and transparency that drones can bring in every sector ranging from Agriculture, Manufacturing, BFSI, Energy, Railways, Retail etc. With their strategic clarity and class-leading professional acumen, we are sure that team Denstu Creative PR will help us to lead the way for Drones in India.”
Sanjeev Anand, President, Dentsu Creative PR added, “We are excited to announce our partnership with Drone Destination. As we embark on this exciting chapter alongside Drone Destination, we are poised to set a new standard of collaboration that stands as a testament to creativity, innovation, and the pursuit of shared success. This strategic collaboration will allow us to service the company with our strategies and innovative ideas that resonate with Drone Destination’s vision and objectives.”