W. Joe DeMiero succeeds her as U.S. CEO of UM
IPG Mediabrands has elevated Lynn Lewis to the position of Global CMO; at the same time, its subsidiary, Universal McCann (UM) has named W. Joe DeMiero as Lewis’ successor in her previous role as UM’s U.S. CEO.
Both appointments are effective today.
DeMiero reports to UM Global CEO Eileen Kiernan and will focus on driving and enhancing the agency’s unique Futureproof approach across its culture, capabilities and client services, according to a statement from UM. As U.S. CEO, he will manage the agency’s largest market, as well as clients like USPS, E.J. Gallo, Rocket Mortgage and Zillow.
In the new role, DeMiero will also lead UM’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Belonging (DEB), sustainability, media responsibility and marketplace equity.
“UM is constantly iterating, innovating and challenging the industry on critical issues in order to drive impact for its people and clients,” said DeMiero. “I could not be more excited to join this incredibly connected community and leadership team at a time when the agency is experiencing great growth and success through their highly differentiated Futureproof approach.”
DeMiero joins the IPG agency from Publicis, where he led CRM agency Hawkeye and worked with clients including Google, AT&T, USAA and Capital One. In the previous role, DeMiero was recognized for scaling the agency and for his commitment to DEI initiatives. During his time at Publicis, he founded the holding company’s immersive reality capability—TiltShift—and SaaS mobile ticketing platform CloudTix.
Before leading Hawkeye, DeMiero held leadership roles at Saatchi & Saatchi and SapientRazorfish.
Leaving Hawkeye was not an easy decision, DeMiero told Adweek. But UM impressed him with its values-based culture, and how those values are reflected at work, but also show up in the work, he said.
For example, DeMiero was heartened to learn that other agency leadership would support him in turning down work that didn’t align with the agency’s values.
“Generationally there is an expectation that the company’s we work for are going to reflect the progressive values that [Lewis] is talking about. The way I think we’re going to be judged in this era on [DEI initiatives]—it’s not just about the commitments or the actions on paper—it’s the outcomes. Are we moving the business forward? Are we holding ourselves and are we holding our clients in the industry in which we occupy to those same standards? Are we willing to say no to live up to the commitments that we’ve made?”
Lewis is now charged with solidifying those values at the group level, ensuring that each of Mediabrand’s agencies have a shared commitment to them.
A series of leadership changes
The move comes on the heels of several leadership changes, including Jeff Marshall’s elevation to U.S. Chief Diversity Officer and Stacy Stewart’s promotion to U.S. Chief Marketplace Officer. Recently the agency pulled in new accounts including Enterprise Holdings, Tonal, Storck USA, Behr Paint and NYC & Company.
“Joe is a transformative leader with a proven track record in driving business growth and fostering strong agency culture, and we are delighted to welcome him to the UM family,” said Kiernan. “With his deep data, digital and operational expertise, commitment to creating meaningful experiences between consumers and brands, and a wonderful entrepreneurial spirit, we are confident that Joe will accelerate our Futureproof ambitions in the marketplace today, and into the future.”
With DeMiero’s appointment to CEO, Lewis will remain UM’s Global CMO while also taking on a new role as Mediabrands’ Global CMO. In the new role, Lewis will report to Daryl Lee, Global CEO of Mediabrands.
Lewis will work across all Mediabrands’ companies, overseeing media responsibilities, DEI initiatives and sustainability in media. Lewis’ remit is to ensure that Mediabrands is the most progressive media and marketing solutions company in the world.
While at UM, Lewis grew revenue and profitability for the agency and won accounts including Levi’s Stauss & CO., CVS/Aetna, EJ Gallo, Enterprise Holdings and Storck USA. Lewis also launched the agency’s Shopper Practice and oversaw the launch of its DEB Council and CSR arm, Better World. Under her leadership, the agency won Adweek’s 2019 Media Agency of the Year award.
“Lynn is an icon and a role model in our business,” said Lee. “She is a talented marketer who is deeply connected to the positive forces of change in our industry. As Mediabrands looks to amplify the power of media to do good in the world, Lynn will be a critical leader in making our voices heard even louder on behalf of our clients and the communities they serve.”
Read the full article at Adweek.
