In the wake of a leadership shake up at agency level, Omnicom Media Group (OMG) will have already moved other senior chess pieces into place ahead of a late November takeover of Interpublic. The question remans who, but there is one likely gambit.
When Kristiann Kroon took the leadership baton of OMG from long-serving chief Peter Horgan, he was given what felt like the leadership equivalent of a ‘provisional’ licence, at least on paper if not reality.
Kroon, one of the sharpest minds in the industry, had been expected to land straight into the CEO hot seat as a natural successor to Horgan, but OMG had other ideas in mind more due to circumstance than succession planning.
Last December, Kroon was promoted from chief investment officer to chief operating officer, with the belief that it was only a matter of time before ‘KK’ would get the CEO number plate.
He has essentially led OMG since, but his move into ‘CEO’ was complicated by news that Omnicom was in advanced discussions to takeover rival holding company Interpublic.
Any leadership reshuffle would have to wait until that acquisition was rubber stamped and dusted, which B&T understands will happen later this month, but the chess pieces are already starting to move around the board with developments today.
The news that OMD co-chairs Laura Nice and Sian Whitnall, who have led OMD in a joint leadership roles for the past four years, have split up to lead PHD and OMD respectively is significant not just for their respective agencies, but what it tells us about the shape of OMG’s leadership in the future.
Whitnall will continue to steer Australia’s largest media agency, while Nice takes the helm of PHD, which has recovered after a challenging couple of years.
She takes the hot seat from Mark ‘MJ’ Jarrett, who has done an excellent job in the past year of reviving the agency by winning notable clients including Bunnings, Reckitt Benckiser, Betr, Spirit of Tasmania and Zurich.
This is good news for both Sian and Laura, who get their own agencies, two of Australia’s largest, to run for themselves, which they both deserve.
MJ has been at the helm of PHD for the past six years, taking over from his mentor and current MFA chair Mark Coad, an industry legend.
Jarrett is likely to be elevated into the chief operating officer role at OMG (post-acquisition), while Kroon will rip off his ‘P’ plate and be given his gold licence as CEO, reporting to Omnicom Oceania boss Nick Garrett, who oversees the holding company regionally.
Ironically, this could mean the exit of IPG Mediabrands’ boss Coad, the most experienced media holding company leader in the country.
Whether his position becomes redundant or Omnicom finds another role that suits his exceptional experience, skill set and leadership remains to be seen, but he would be a massive loss to Omnicom and has played a huge part building their success in this country.
Neither Omnicom or Interpublic would respond to questions about their new leadership team ahead of an official announcement, which is a matter of weeks away, but the wheels of change are in motion.
Whitnall and Nice are the news of today, and deservedly so, but the smart money on OMG’s future stewardship is on Kroon and Jarrett.
That’s probably a safer bet than Half Yours winning the Melbourne Cup earlier this week.
