Wavemaker Canada Names Ryan Webber Chief Executive Officer

Wavemaker Canada announced today that Ryan Webber has been named Canadian CEO, effective immediately. Webber will serve on GroupM Canada’s Executive Committee to represent Wavemaker Canadian operations in addition to the Wavemaker Global ExCo board.

Webber comes to the 2021 Silver Strategy Agency of the Year award winning Wavemaker agency from his role as Chief Revenue Officer at iLobby – where he boasted an extensive career in software and IT sales with a track record in driving consistent growth across all his teams and organizations. 

“Ryan’s strengths are uniquely suited to this role – a passion for finding new ways to solve problems, an extraordinary EQ, and great commercial connections in the Canadian market,” said Louisa Wong, Wavemaker Americas, CEO. “He embodies a leadership style that will empower, inspire, and coach an already high-performing and highly successful executive leadership team, helping them - and by extension, the passionate and dedicated agency they represent - align their plans with the overall business strategy and do their best work. The perspective he is bringing will help challenge the ways our existing clients build a relationship with brands as well positively provoke prospective clients’ business strategies who join the rapidly growing Canadian Wavemaker network.”

“As we continue to build the agencies and industry of the future in Canada, I believe strongly that a critical part of that is to bring in different skillsets and cognitive diversity to empower innovation and new thinking. I’m excited to see that in action with Ryan’s perspective and leadership.” GroupM Canada CEO, Kevin Johnson.

Webber will lead this next chapter of Wavemaker in Canada in partnership with the Wavemaker Canada Executive Committee consisting of: Andy Braunston, CSO, Patrick Renard, CFO, Cory Chisholm, VP Client Leadership, Chimi Nwagbara, VP Investment, Lisa Pietersen, VP People, and Tracey Weinrib, VP Precision Marketing. 

“I’m so excited to be stepping into this role as Chief Executive Officer at Wavemaker,” said Ryan Webber, CEO Wavemaker Canada. “This is an already powerful agency filled with exceptionally talented media experts delivering brilliant work challenging their clients on how to best create a brand relationship with consumers. My job is to leverage my experience to identify ways to elevate and amplify that success and ensure that we are creating an environment where people are doing the best work of their careers, provoking growth for our clients, and being rewarded for it.”

Wavemaker Canada has seen notable success in the last six months, including winning Moderna, Beiersdorf, and Corby Spirit and Wine, as well as awards for extraordinary client work (Molson, Danone & Kruger) in addition to being named one of Canada’s Best Places to Work for the seventh year in a row.