MediaSense has tapped ex-Accenture Song executive Jamie Posnanski to be global CEO, effective immediately.
Founder and current global CEO Graham Brown will move into a new role as executive chairman.
The appointment comes on the heels of a flurry of acquisitions this year by MediaSense. Earlier in the year, the consultancy bought PwC’s UK Marketing and Media Owner business, led by Sam Tomlinson. In November, it purchased creative and media advisory R3, expanding its footprint to the US and Singapore.
Posnanski began his career in digital media in the late 1990s as chief strategy officer at early digital agency startup Opus Media Corp. In 2002, he co-founded his first regional digital shop Sans Locus and in 2005 founded avVenta Worldwide.
The latter was purchased by Accenture Interactive (now Accenture Song) in 2012, after which Posnanski spent more than a decade as a senior executive there, building the division into a $12bn digital agency. He was also a key figure in driving many of Accenture Song’s acquisitions during his tenure.
According to Brown, who co-founded MediaSense in 2009 alongside Andy Pearch, Posnanski’s entrepreneurial background and leadership skills make him the “ideal” successor to lead the company in its next phase of growth.
“I am delighted to have found my successor and am excited to have attracted such a talent as Jamie to MediaSense,” Brown said. “His strategic vision and proven leadership skills, combined with his wealth of experience and integrity, make him the ideal person for this role.”
MediaSense buys R3 as consultancy expands to US and Asia
Posnanski, an American, will be based in London in his new role.
Under Brown’s leadership, MediaSense was majority-acquired by private equity firm Apiary Capital in 2021 and, in the following years, looked to expand into a global media advisory and pitch management business for advertisers.
As global CEO, Posnanski will be tasked with building on MediaSense’s recent acquisitions, which have seen the company increase staff numbers to over 230. He will also look to expand MediaSense’s footprint in North America and Asia.
“I am thrilled to join the talented team at MediaSense and build upon such an impressive legacy,” said Posnanski.
“With the addition of PwC’s media unit and now with the R3 acquisition, I believe we are incredibly well-positioned to help clients fuel growth by optimising returns across an even broader scope of media and marketing investments.”
Brown added: “Not only has Jamie helped clients address the most complex marketing challenges on a global scale, but he also has first-hand knowledge of what it takes to successfully bring a company at our stage of development through the next phases of growth.
“I am looking forward to supporting Jamie as we grow our global presence and build more expansive and innovative services for our global client base.”
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