Carat UK Appoints Clare Chapman as New CEO

Carat, a dentsu company, has today announced the appointment of Clare Chapman as its Carat UK CEO, responsible for leading the agency across the UK.

Clare has over two decades of experience in media, spanning leadership roles in planning, activation and client services. She joins Carat UK from Essence, where she was EVP and head of media EMEA, a role that saw her oversee the 350+ strong media planning and activation teams, while representing the agency’s media product to the industry and working with clients such as BT, L’Oréal, Zoopla and Sainsbury’s.

In her new role, Clare will report to Hamish Nicklin, CEO of Media, dentsu, and will be responsible for leading and growing the iconic media agency across its four UK offices. She will sit across the agency’s full range of specialisms, setting the vision and strategy to deliver on the Carat Designing for People proposition through excellent service, value and innovation, as well as driving integration and growth across the wider dentsu network.

Hamish Nicklin, CEO of Media, dentsu UK&I said: “Great people are the backbone of our business, and we are thrilled to have secured someone of Clare’s calibre to lead Carat at such an exciting time. Her values-based leadership style and client-centric approach will ensure that our teams are empowered, and our clients continue to receive industry-leading services.”

Clare Chapman, incoming Carat UK CEO, added: “Carat's legacy as the world’s first media agency is unparalleled and I’m excited to be joining their fabulous team to lead the agency through its next period of growth.”

Prior to Essence, Clare served as managing partner and head of planning at Maxus and spent more than seven years in account leadership roles as client director for Havas UK and as group account director for MPG.

Clare will join Carat in early 2022.