Publicis Groupe Reorganises US Leadership to Accelerate Transformation

Publicis Groupe today unveiled two executive leadership infrastructures that will drive US governance, accelerate the implementation of the Groupe’s strategy, and further transform the Groupe’s creative offering. 

Following the closing of the acquisition of Epsilon, the company is establishing a Publicis Groupe US ComEx chaired by Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO, Publicis Groupe, and comprised of Tim Jones, CEO, Publicis Media Americas; Bryan Kennedy, CEO, Epsilon; Ros King, EVP, Global Clients, Publicis Groupe; Steve King, COO, Publicis Groupe & CEO, Publicis Media; Adrian Sayliss, CFO, Publicis Groupe North America; Carla Serrano, CSO, Publicis Groupe; Liz Taylor, CCO, Publicis Communications US & CCO, Leo Burnett Worldwide; and Nigel Vaz, CEO, Publicis Sapient. This executive committee will be accountable for advancing the Groupe’s strategy and driving overall performance and growth for the Groupe and its clients in the company’s largest market.

“Our clients are feeling pressure from e-commerce platforms, walled gardens and fierce competition from DTC brands. We are now uniquely positioned in the US with the right model, assets and team to bring data, creativity and technology together and help clients transform and strike back,” says Sadoun. “With this new US leadership team in place, we will bring to our clients what they really need: personalised experiences at scale, to enable them to leapfrog the competition.”

 

Second, to catalyse transformation and cross-fertilisation of the Groupe’s creative brand portfolio spanning brands such as Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Publicis, BBH and Fallon, Publicis Communications in the US will organise into three zones: West, led by Andrew Bruce, CEO, Publicis Communications West; Center, led by Andrew Swinand, CEO, Publicis Communications Center; and East, led by Jem Ripley who returns to Publicis Groupe as Publicis Communications CEO of this region. Ripley will also lead Publicis Sapient’s marketing transformation business and clients in the US, which will transition to Publicis Communications. The digital business transformation capability remains within the Publicis Sapient hub.

Ripley was previously President East Region at SapientRazorfish, serving as a key leader of the business for a decade, before moving to Capgemini to run growth of its Digital Transformation Business for North America. Ripley, Bruce, and Swinand will report to Arthur Sadoun.

Sadoun noted, “At a time when the alchemy of creativity and technology has never been so important, I’m thrilled to welcome back Jem, a leader who understands both worlds and how to bring them together seamlessly. With the recent arrival of Liz Taylor CCO North America, our creative leaders across our agencies, and now with Jem’s return, we are better placed than ever to bring modern creativity in all of its forms to our clients across North America.”