Brian Lesser has been appointed as the new Global CEO of GroupM.
Lesser will succeed Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years to take up the new position of president, corporate development, at WPP.
Lesser rejoins the media investment company in September from InfoSum where he spent the past four years as CEO and chairman of the data company.
He spent 10 years with WPP, first joining with the acquisition of 24/7 Real Media in 2007. He then created the Media Innovation Group, building addressable advertising products and technology for GroupM.
In 2011, Lesser founded Xaxis, the programmatic media buying platform that now forms part of GroupM’s media performance organisation, GroupM Nexus.
He was CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. After that stint, he joined AT&T as CEO of AT&T Advertising & Analytics, a $3 billion business today known as Xandr.
Lesser said of his appointment: “WPP and GroupM are special organizations 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 fficer. I look forward to building with my talented colleagues, collaborating with our industry partners, and investing with our fantastic roster of global clients.”
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.
Under his 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.
He will continue in his existing role until then and support the transition as he moves to his new role. As WPP president, corporate development, he will work on various aspects of the company’s strategic development.
Juhl said of his new role: “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.”
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, added: “I would like to thank Christian for his contribution to the success of Essence, GroupM, WPP and our 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.
“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.”
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Top image: Brian Lesser