dentsu Reaffirms Global Business Management Structure with Leadership Team

Dentsu today announced a new global business management structure, designed to accelerate growth. Effective January 1st, 2024, the One dentsu Operating Model will enable dentsu to globally consolidate customer touch points, promote faster delivery of diverse and advanced practices and further elevate operational efficiency. Under the new management structure, dentsu will support the further growth of clients as an evolved 'One dentsu'. 

Enhanced Global Management 

Launched in January 2023, dentsu’s group management team has enhanced global management, accelerated business transformation and further strengthened dentsu’s leadership function. For 2024, the roles of global chief operating officer, global president - global practices and global president - data and technology have been newly established under the global CEO, dentsu. The global chief operating officer will oversee operations across dentsu’s four business regions, while the global president - global practices will lead key global practices at dentsu. The global president - data and technology is tasked with creating unique value to clients and delivering through the effective use of data and technology.  

New Regional CEOs 

The 2024 Group Management Team includes the appointment of two new regional leaders: Takeshi Sano becomes CEO, dentsu Japan, and Andre Andrade, as recently announced, becomes CEO, dentsu EMEA. Sano and Andrade join Michael Komasinski, CEO, dentsu Americas and Rob Gilby, CEO dentsu APAC, to oversee and lead dentsu’s regional growth strategies. 

Sano joined Dentsu Inc. in 1992. In addition to accumulating an impressive track record of achievements in the Business Producers divisions, Sano has recently been committed to supporting the growth of dentsu Japan’s client companies, ensuring its evolution into an Integrated Growth Partner in his current roles of managing executive officer in charge of business producers divisions at Dentsu Inc. and executive officer in charge of the Business Transformation (BX) and Digital Transformation (DX) Consulting at dentsu Japan. He also led the growth and overseas expansion of dentsu’s BX as CEO, Business Transformation, dentsu. His ability to understand clients’ needs and create new business opportunities will improve dentsu Japan's integrated competitiveness and drive further growth. 

New Global Practice Leadership 

A critical pillar within the new operating model is the creation of a global practices structure under Jean Lin, global president - global practices, dentsu. As a fundamental part of delivering transformational growth to clients, today’s announcement includes the appointment of two new leaders within that structure, to complete the global team: Yuichi Toyoda becomes global practice president – business transformation, dentsu, and Jeff Greenspoon becomes global practice president – integrated solutions, dentsu. 

Toyoda joined Dentsu Inc. in 1994 and has since built a career at dentsu spanning nearly 30 years. He took on several executive roles, including CEO, at agency brands in India, Thailand, and China. In 2022, he was appointed managing director (MD) of Dentsu Inc.’s global division and executive director of the Dentsu Group Inc.’s Solutions Office. He is currently responsible for expanding the BX knowledge and best practices accumulated in Japan across the world, contributing to build the foundation of dentsu’s BX practice. 

Jeff has been a part of dentsu since the 2014 acquisition of SPOKE, the agency he co-founded. Since then, he has overseen the rapid growth of dentsu Canada, played an integral role on the Americas Executive Leadership Team and most recently served as president of global solutions, dentsu. 

Additional key appointments 

Yoshiki Ishihara is newly appointed as global chief strategy officer, and becomes global chief strategy officer and chief of staff.  

Yoshiki joined Dentsu Inc. in 1999. His career started in the Media division, followed by approximately 20 years of building up a track record of achievements in the Business Producers division. Following two years of leading the Corporate Planning division, he transferred to Dentsu Group Inc. in 2020 and became a member of dentsu's group management team as chief of staff in January 2023. In his new role, Ishihara will develop management strategies from a mid to long-term perspective while contributing to sustainable growth for dentsu. He will also be responsible for driving Group-wide business development and Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) governance. 

"The enhanced global management structure unveiled today to support our new One dentsu Operating Model will accelerate dentsu’s growth as a people-centred transformation company which shapes society. It will enable us to drive deeper levels of organisational governance, as well as generate value for clients and the world we live in by maximising the unrivalled expertise of our 72,000 people worldwide to solve both our clients' business challenges and the societal issues beyond them as a Business to Business to Society (B2B2S) company," said Hiroshi Igarashi, president and CEO, dentsu.  

Group Management Team 

Dentsu’s Group Management Team, consisting of 28 global leaders, will oversee management of the entire dentsu organisation, a total of approximately 850 companies operating in 145 countries and regions, not limited to Dentsu Group Inc. The Group Executive Management team are leaders tasked with the operational execution of global management strategies.