Omnicom Media Group (OMG), the media services division of Omnicom Group, announced on September 5, 2023 that OMG CEO for EMEA Guy Marks will succeed Philippa Brown as CEO of PHD Worldwide, effective October 1.
Marks joined OMG in 2014 following Omnicom’s acquisition of Mobile5, the global UX, design and tech consultancy service that he co-founded.
Florian Adamski, global CEO, OMG, said, “Guy is one of our industry’s most entrepreneurial leaders, with an approach that transformed first OMD’s and subsequently Omnicom Media Group’s offering in EMEA over the past six years. By enabling our agencies to quickly identify, adapt and respond in real time to the challenges of a dramatically changing consumer marketplace, he’s unlocked growth for our clients and made OMG the #1 media agency group for net new business in the EMEA region for the year-to-date, according to the most recent COMvergence reporting.”
Adamski added, “The fact that – at the same time – he was also one of the network’s key people coordinating Omnicom’s boots-on-the-ground Ukrainian relief and rescue efforts tells you everything you need to know about both his character and his leadership skills.”
Brown, who has served as PHD’s global CEO since 2019, is stepping down following almost four decades in the media industry – including 16 years in leadership positions with OMG – to focus on non-executive advisory roles at both the corporate and advocacy levels, informed an OMG statement.
On Brown’s contribution, Adamski said, “As CEO, Philippa’s passion for great work that advanced our clients’ business goals was matched by her dedication to helping young talent advance their career goals. After leading the agency through the Covid crisis, she brought PHD back stronger than ever, earning Media Network of the Year honors at the 2021 Cannes Festival; winning Diageo, Chanel, Unilever, and most recently, the $300 million Grupo Bimbo account. She also launched and oversaw OMG’s Talent Management Community, an initiative offering professional development across the entire career life cycle.”
“We are deeply grateful for her tireless leadership, creative vision, and unwavering commitment to meeting the needs of her clients and her people, and we wish her all the best as she redirects her singular energy, experience, and expertise to an exciting new chapter in her career,” he added.
In 2022, PHD was ranked #2 globally for net new business gains – behind sister OMG agency OMD – adding $902 billion in incremental billings in 2022, the statement said quoting COMvergence data.
As CEO of OMG EMEA, Marks helped establish Omnicom’s Transact connected commerce and retail media consultancy in the region; and co-architected the expansion of OMG’s TRKKN analytics and cloud consultancy from five European countries to 20 markets across APAC, EMEA and North America.
Marks said, “The thread that can be pulled through all my professional experience is driving growth through transformation. As the CEO of PHD – an agency that was born from a transformative concept of media as a strategic tool – my priority will be assuring that every PHD account team around the world have the talent, tools, technology and collective commitment to excellence they need to deliver the transformative ideas, solutions and service that drive growth for our clients, our agency, and our people.”
Marks’ appointment is effective October 1. He will be based in London, reporting to Adamski. His successor as leader of OMG EMEA is expected to be named next week.
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