Seamer, who joins from production company Gravity Road, has been appointed as global chief operating officer, while EssenceMediacom UK’s transformation officer Unerman is the new global chief strategy officer.
Brainlabs has hired two former GroupM leaders to bolster its global leadership ranks.
Sean Seamer, who spent 15 years at the hold co, most recently leading MediaCom in Australia and New Zealand until 2018, has joined as global chief operating officer. He will be based in the US.
Seamer follows Sue Unerman, another GroupM veteran and former chief transformation officer of EssenceMediacom UK, who joined Brainlabs last week as global chief strategy officer.
Seamer’s remit includes expanding Brainlabs’ geographical footprint organically and through future acquisitions, leading the agency’s operations and supporting growth of the business.
Brainlabs CEO Dan Gilbert said: “Sean is a fearless leader with unparalleled operational excellence and experience in driving growth. His understanding of what brands need in today’s complex digital environment paired with the Brainlabs’ ‘High-Performance’ approach to data, tech and talent will be an unbeatable combination as we continue on our path to becoming the world’s largest independent full-service media agency.”
Seamer is well known in Aussie media circles for his time at MediaCom, where he helped turnaround a business that was reeling from a misreporting scandal in 2014.
The Kiwi helped restore trust and confidence in the agency before departing to lead Supercars, where he succeeded former Seven West Media boss James Warburton and led the motorsport championship through a period of growth and eventual sale.
More recently, Seamer served as US president and chief commercial and strategy officer for the London-headquartered Gravity Road.
“I am thrilled to be joining Brainlabs at a time where the agency is on a meteoric rise,” Seamer said. “The opportunity to be part of building a new era media agency is exhilarating. The talent in Brainlabs is outstanding and I look forward to harnessing the power of Brainlabs tech and talent to deliver game-changing results for clients in the US and across even more markets.”
‘Redefining strategy’
Unerman, a 34-year veteran of GroupM, joined Brainlabs in a new role “to create powerful and progressive strategic propositions” for clients. She has been reunited with Stephen Allan, the former long-serving global leader of MediaCom, who is now Brainlabs’ executive chair.
Unerman is a regarded as a leading innovator and digital pioneer in the UK advertising industry, and has held a series of strategy and technology leadership roles at MediaCom.
“The advertising landscape is rapidly evolving, and I relish the opportunity to collaborate with my new colleagues and clients in pioneering innovative communication strategies,” she said. “In this new era, it is crucial to craft narratives that resonate deeply, capture attention, and drive meaningful connections and outcomes.
“I look forward to tapping into the collective expertise and fresh perspectives within the agency to push boundaries and deliver impactful campaigns that leave an indelible mark. Together, we will redefine strategy in today’s dynamic marketplace.”
Gilbert described her appointment as a “defining moment for Brainlabs as we carve a path as the high performance media agency”.
“She is a legend and an inspiration to so many throughout our industry and I’m excited to bring Sue’s unique talents to our clients at Brainlabs,” he added. “She possesses a rare ability to see around the corner, and get ahead of competitors within the digital, media and marketing space with a track record of solving business challenges for some of the biggest advertisers in the world through strategic breakthrough and innovation.“
Brainlabs, which started out as PPC business, has ambitions to become the largest independent full-service digital media agency in the world. Its clients include Estée Lauder Companies, Adidas, Walmart, Polaroid and Consumer Cellular.
Last year, Brainlabs secured private equity investment from Falfurrias Capital Partners and expanded its operations in Poland, while acquiring Australian digital media agency Sparro in January.
In early 2023, Brainlabs restructured its global leadership with UK boss Joanna Lyall,chief growth officer Emma Storer and US leader Jeremy Cornfeldt departing.
Gilbert relocated from the UK to the US and installed Daniel Bottiglieri as its UK leader.
