WPP has announced the appointment of Brian Lesser as the new Global CEO of GroupM. He succeeds Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years in the role. Christian will take up a new position with WPP as president, corporate development.
Lesser spent 10 years with WPP including as CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. He will rejoin WPP and begin his new role with GroupM in September 2024. Christian will continue in his existing role until then and support the transition as he moves to his new position.
Lesser joined WPP in 2007 with the acquisition of 24/7 Real Media. He then created the Media Innovation Group, building addressable advertising products and technology for GroupM, including one of the industry’s first data management platforms. In 2011, he founded Xaxis, the programmatic media buying platform that now forms part of GroupM’s media performance organisation, GroupM Nexus.
After leading GroupM in North America, he joined AT&T as CEO of AT&T Advertising & Analytics, a $3 billion business today known as Xandr. He took on his current role as CEO and Chairman of data company InfoSum in 2020.
Throughout his career, Lesser has been at the forefront of technological advancements in the media industry, from the advent of programmatic advertising to the rise of connected TV. He is known for challenging the status quo to deliver better consumer experiences and more effective business solutions.
Juhl became CEO of GroupM in November 2019, having previously held the same position at Essence, the digital media agency acquired by WPP in 2015. As president of corporate development for WPP, he will work on various aspects of the company’s strategic development.
Juhl came under fire at a US Congressional hearing on the placement of digital ad dollars last week during which he challenged the notion that the advertising industry is a “cartel” that is seeking to de-fund right-wing media outlets and silence conservative voices in a coordinated attack on free speech. He told lawmakers that there are very good reasons why advertisers employ GARM’s frameworks.
“One of marketers’ biggest fears is that years, sometimes even generations, of reputation could evaporate overnight as a consequence of bad ad placement. Such scenarios can erase both brand and business value in hours. Companies spending many millions of dollars on their advertising do not want to risk their brand on a strategy that could backfire on their reputation and business value,” he said.
“In 2017, news outlets reported that some of the world’s biggest companies’ advertisements were unwittingly being placed next to content as extreme as propaganda for ISIS. Unsurprisingly, concern from consumers and clients was significant. Brands also had to contend with reports of Russian troll farms working to disrupt presidential elections. And, most recently, brands had to develop advertising strategies in the context of a pandemic that divided Americans. In response to these issues and broader consumer sentiment, advertisers have placed a growing emphasis on brand suitability and accountability. Brands consistently inform us that they do not want to advertise next to hot-button or divisive content. They want reliable environments.
He also made clear that “GroupM does not police content or have control over publishers.”
CEO of WPP, Mark Read thanked Juhl for his contribution to the success of Essence, GroupM, WPP and clients over the last nine years. “He has built a strong foundation for the ongoing transformation of GroupM, the integration of its offer, and accelerated future growth. I look forward to working with him in his new WPP role”.
Under Christian’s leadership, GroupM has grown significantly, winning notable assignments and playing a critical role in WPP wins such as the partnership with The Coca-Cola Company. GroupM has also changed and evolved to reflect the new world. It has simplified its structure, today serving its roster of world-leading clients primarily through three media agency brands (EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker); media performance organization GroupM Nexus; and data product, service and technology company Choreograph. GroupM is the world’s leading media investment company, managing more than $60 billion in annual media spend on behalf of its clients.
“Brian is one of the industry’s most highly regarded executives with a track record of success in data- and technology-driven marketing. GroupM, its agencies and its brilliant people are in many respects the engine of WPP. Brian not only knows GroupM inside-out, but also has a strong vision for the future of the business. We are delighted to welcome him back to WPP”.
“WPP and GroupM are special organisations to me. I have experienced first-hand the culture of innovation and collaboration that leads to exceptional work for advertisers. I am thrilled to be rejoining GroupM as Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to building with my talented colleagues, collaborating with our industry partners, and investing with our fantastic roster of global clients,” said Lesser.
“It has been a privilege to lead this amazing business, to work alongside its incredibly talented people, and to partner with our wonderful clients around the world. We’ve achieved a huge amount together and I’m really proud of the progress GroupM has made towards its mission of making advertising work better for people. After five years the time is right for a fresh challenge, and I’m excited to get started in my new role with WPP. Brian is an exceptional leader and I’m happy he is rejoining the GroupM family,” said Juhl.
