Dentsu Aegis announces senior reshuffle as part of digital drive

Dentsu Aegis Network has announced that Nick Brien will replace Nigel Morris as chief executive of its Americas and US business, while Morris has been promoted to the newly-created role of chief strategy and innovation officer. Both roles will sit on the executive committee and report directly to CEO Jerry Buhlmann.

Brien, who will be in charge of 13,000 people in 45 agency brands across 19 countries, brings with him more than 30 years’ experience in a number of leading global roles, including CEO of McCann Worldgroup and most recently as global CEO of iCrossing and president of Hearst Magazines Marketing Services.

He will be based in New York and joins the team from 1 August 2017.

Meanwhile, Morris, who is currently CEO Americas and EMEA, will lead the group’s innovation agenda and build strategy, services and products to help equip clients for the digital economy. Morris will be based out of London, at the Dentsu Aegis headquarters.

Commenting on the appointments, Buhlmann said: “The growth of the digital economy is one of the few certainties in an uncertain world, and realising our ambition to be a 100 per cent digital economy business by 2020 requires the strongest top management team from the industry, globally.

“It is our responsibility to help clients maximise the opportunity the digital economy presents – helping brands to innovate in a disrupted world. The challenge for the next five years will be for brands to master the new reality of a consumer-led economy that is both transparent and interdependent.

“In this environment convergence, addressability and real-time are key dynamics and the winners will be those who determine how to derive value from a demand-led economy.”