The challenger advantage: Why APAC's influence extends beyond revenue for OMD

Winning Media Network of the Year once is impressive. Winning it three years in a row raises a different question: what is OMD getting right? The answer comes at a time when the agency business is undergoing significant change. As the Omnicom-IPG merger redraws the industry landscape and AI continues to transform the way brands and agencies operate, networks are being forced to rethink not just how they work, but how they grow. Speaking to Neeta Nair, Editor, IMPACT Magazine, at Cannes Lions 2026, Ellen Griffin, Global Brand President, OMD Worldwide, and Charlotte Lee, CEO, OMD APAC, discuss challenger mindsets, the growing influence of Asia-Pacific, India's role as an innovation hub and the future of connected consumer experiences.

Read the edited excerpts:

OMD is one of the most awarded agencies in the world. When IPG was acquired by Omnicom, the expectations from OMD rose. What are the things you would definitely hold on to at OMD and what would you want to change?

Ellen: At the core, one of the things we want to hold on to is the fact that we want to be a challenger brand. We're very large. So, obviously, a lot of people may not think of us that way, but it's much easier to take a smaller brand and help them grow. It's very difficult, even with the awards, to take the biggest brands in the world and keep them number one. There really has to be a challenger mindset to make sure that you're breaking convention, and continuing to think big and different.

A lot of culturally sound work from Latin America, India, and APAC is being awarded. But are clients really willing to learn from the Asian markets as much today? Or is inspiration linear—coming from the other side, and not from APAC to the world?
Charlotte: Markets in APAC, like China and India, are becoming innovation hubs, and creating solutions, platforms and culturally resonant ideas that other markets are really turning to for inspiration and learning. What has really changed is the coming together of scale, digital infrastructure and the constantly maturing talent in the region.

If you look at India, for example, the public digital infrastructure is creating a more connected population than ever before, that is fuelled with an incredibly entrepreneurial ecosystem. It means that you see markets like India creating new models for marketing, commerce and consumer engagement.

The flow is no longer just one-way; it's actually two-way. Global clients are looking for these connected solutions, regardless of where they are originating from.

Omnicom has given up on global CEO roles for agencies and moved to Brand Presidents. How is that really making a change on ground?

Ellen: This is exactly what our clients need—going from a global CEO, who is really managing the media agency, to a Brand President, who is really focused on connecting Omnicom capabilities across. They don't need us to deliver better median, but to deliver better connected consumer experiences. In my role, I don't have to manage just the media organisation. We have brilliant leaders globally who can manage that. My role is to ensure that we are connecting across Omnicom to bring the best. It is brilliant how we have restructured to really focus on delivering that for our clients.

We are seeing media buying becoming increasingly commoditised, with LLMs and automated buying coming into the picture. How do you really save the art of media buying in this new world?

Charlotte: Fundamentally, AI is helping change how we are buying and optimising media. But what is not changing is the need for a differentiated strategic approach. Media strategy only really becomes commoditised when it is reduced down to execution. We are using our technology, like Omni, to better understand audiences. But the real unlock is how you apply those insights. That is not something automation alone can do. Yes, technology is automating insights, but it is really human perspective and judgment that is driving value for our clients.

One thing that global networks often get criticised for is how they create sameness. How do you create a global product—an agency known for something good—and yet, give the option to local markets to take creative risks and do something specific to their taste there?

Ellen: That is an ongoing challenge. How we approach it at OMD is—how do we actually make our local countries more brilliant? From a raise-the-floor approach, we look at things that we can help take off of the local teams’ plates—things that would take so much time for each country to try to figure out—and make that seamless and easier. Also, how do we make sure that there are resources that can help each country look at what's next, which is exactly what OMD is known for, so that they can work on the brilliance they have without having to worry about that.

When you look at a country like India, there is so much brilliance—its  complexity, digital-first nature, and other things. What we need to do, if I do my job correctly, is to make sure that this brilliance is scaling fast. It is not about taking things from the headquarter and pushing them down; it is about taking the brilliance of what is happening in some of our most sophisticated and emerging countries and scaling those. That, to me, is not about sameness, but about scalability and reducing complexity.

We were discussing how some ideas can move from APAC to global markets. Are there any specific examples where an APAC insight was applied to a global challenge?

Ellen: There are actually quite a few examples where tools have been built, even through Omni and agents, that help us cut through some of the complexity we see locally. One example comes from an investment perspective. The challenge was actually seen sooner in India than it was seen globally. The local team started creating technology to solve that challenge, and we've now taken it and scaled it as part of our investment technology. Obviously, there are differences across markets, so we've adapted it accordingly. But the bigger question for us is: when a challenge is first seen in a country like India, perhaps before it emerges globally, how do we take the technology we've created and scale it to help solve that challenge elsewhere, even before it becomes a major issue in other markets?

Omni is known for driving a universal marketing approach. But APAC is a very different market, with walled gardens like WeChat and Douyin in China, super apps like Grab in Southeast Asia, and unique platform ecosystems across markets. How do you make Omni work in APAC?
Charlotte: Omni was never created to be a one-size-fits-all global platform. The benefit lies in the fact that it's a very modular technology. What it does is allow us to have a connected intelligence system across every market consistently, while still giving us the local adaptability that a region like APAC requires. As you rightly pointed out, it's an incredibly diverse region. You have walled gardens in China with WeChat and Douyin, super apps in Southeast Asia like Grab, and then platform-specific nuances and regulations in markets such as Japan, Korea and India.

The advantage of Omni is its modular approach. We look at the elements that can remain consistent across markets, such as our investment approach, planning and insights framework, taxonomy and governance. Those stay consistent. At the same time, we localise the areas that need to be adapted, whether that's data partnerships, platform integrations, creator economies or commerce signals. Ultimately, it's about striking the right balance between global consistency and local execution. That's where the real advantage lies.

APAC is often described as the fastest-growing region and one that is increasingly setting the agenda for global companies. Yet your Q1 results show that the US still contributes nearly 60% of revenue, while APAC contributes around 10%. Where do you think APAC is outperforming other markets?

Ellen: Going back to your earlier question about what we need to hold on to versus what we need to change, I said the challenger mindset is something we need to hold on to. Ambition is probably the biggest thing we need to change. In the US and some of our larger, more established markets, we often feel like we have a recipe that works. The challenge is making sure we disrupt that enough to keep pace with the changes happening around us.

One of the most brilliant things happening in APAC is that there isn't necessarily a recipe that works. The landscape is evolving so quickly that we actually have more of that ambition, not just to be the best media network, but to be the best partner in agentic marketing for our clients. To me, that's one of the biggest learnings from the region. The complexity, the innovation and the way consumers are purchasing are much further ahead than what we're seeing in some other markets. We're forced, if you will, to behave that way.

It's not just about technology and tools. It's also about the way we connect across disciplines. Many of the briefs we're receiving across APAC already connect content and media in a way that's far more advanced than what we're seeing in markets like the US. That's one of the reasons we're seeing such momentum in the region.

Charlotte: APAC is really leading in areas such as innovation and future-facing capabilities. If you look at India, for example, we're leading in connected commerce solutions. That's largely because of the landscape in India, where you've seen the rise of quick commerce and increasingly connected ecosystems. It's shaping how brands drive outcomes in the market and, increasingly, what the rest of the world can learn from. Another area where we're leading is in operating models and talent. We're building agile organisations by combining experienced leadership with new talent and capabilities coming through the pipeline, alongside a culture that is inherently adaptive and entrepreneurial. We're seeing the benefits of that in high client retention, strong talent retention and continued business growth.

What are your expectations from India and from Anisha, who is leading the team there?
Charlotte: Anisha is doing a fantastic job. When I talk about experienced leadership, she really embodies that. We want to continue seeing growth, and now, within this new ecosystem that we're operating in, Omnicom's acquisition of IPG has really strengthened our offering in India. The focus is on continuing that momentum and seeing OMD lead the way for Omnicom in the market.
Ellen: One of the things Anisha does brilliantly is make sure that everyone has visibility into what's happening. It's very easy to assume that everyone knows what's going on. What Anisha does so well is ensure that we have visibility not only into the brilliance that OMD is delivering locally, but also into what's needed from Charlotte at a regional level and from me at a global level to make sure we're showing up for her and for the brilliant team we have there. Ultimately, it's about helping them unlock the next phase of growth and continue building on their success.

Have you been focused on Cannes this year despite all the consolidation and integration work happening across the business?
Ellen: Cannes is such a wonderful moment. It's a moment to celebrate success, to be inspired about where we need to go next and to connect with people. There's nothing better than being able to connect in person with team members and leaders. But for me, this is a moment to connect. The real work starts when you leave. It's about how you celebrate and motivate your teams day in and day out. There are so many brilliant people who aren't here, and they're the reason we're here in the first place. So Cannes is a great moment, but we don't take lightly the fact that we're here representing some of the most brilliant marketers in the world.