WPP’s Ogilvy today announced the appointment of Andy Main as global chief executive officer.
Main comes over from Deloitte where he was global head of digital and will succeed John Seifert, who announced his plans to step down in April after 41 years with Ogilvy including five as CEO. Main will join Ogilvy at the end of July to begin the transition.
Main took the helm at Deloitte Digital in 2014 and rapidly grew the business into a prestigious global brand. During his tenure, Deloitte Digital made the first significant move by consultancy firms into creative services with the acquisition of multiple creative agencies, beginning a trend that has reshaped the industry. Today, Deloitte Digital offers creative, technology and consulting services to many of the world’s leading companies.
He is one of marketing’s most highly regarded executives, featuring in Adweek’s Top 100 Leaders in Marketing, Media and Technology. He has also been named as one of the world’s Top 25 Consultants by Consulting Magazine.
He has more than 25 years of consulting experience working with Fortune 500 brands to modernize their businesses and bring new ideas to market quickly. He began his career with Andersen Consulting and moved to Deloitte Consulting in 1999 as a Principal in the Hi-Tech Practice. He has also previously served on Deloitte Consulting’s board of directors.
John Seifert said: “I am so grateful to have spent the past 41 years with Ogilvy. I have been supported by so many generous colleagues and clients. It’s been a wonderful life. Andy’s personal and professional experiences could not be more relevant for the ongoing transformation of Ogilvy and WPP at a moment of extraordinary change and opportunity in our industry. My partners and I are very excited to have someone of Andy’s character and accomplishments join Ogilvy and lead our global creative network into the future (our founder would approve… and be incredibly proud that another Scot is at the helm). I will partner with Andy through the rest of the year to ensure a seamless transition for our people and clients.”
Main added: “Ogilvy is a name synonymous with creative and strategic excellence and I am honored to become the company’s next CEO. We have a great opportunity to help clients deliver sustainable growth by using Ogilvy’s creative genius to transform not only brands but entire businesses. We must also be a company with a clear culture of belonging where talented people from under-represented groups are championed and supported throughout their careers, and given the chance to reach the very highest levels of the organization. Ogilvy will play its full part in implementing WPP’s clear and unequivocal commitment to anti-racism—with the recognition that we will be judged not by our words, but our actions. I look forward to working with the fantastic people at Ogilvy and the wider WPP team.”
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “Andy is one of our industry’s most admired leaders. He has demonstrated the effectiveness of blending creative, technology, and consulting services. His belief in the power of creativity to transform businesses and the importance of people and culture in organizations aligns closely with our vision for WPP and our agencies. John Seifert joined Ogilvy as a summer intern in Los Angeles in 1979 and for the subsequent 41 years has dedicated himself to the success of the business. I would like to thank him for his tremendous leadership.”
