Dentsu International Global CEO Wendy Clark is leaving the holding company amid what multiple people cite as an imminent restructuring that will unite the international group she runs with Dentsu Group’s Japan-based operations.
Clark could not be reached for comment, and a spokesman for Dentsu in London declined to comment beyond this statement: “A cross-functional global team of our executive leaders has been working on our long-term roadmap for Dentsu. We have strong confidence that this will continue our progress in driving growth and making client impact. We expect to communicate more fully as we finalize this planning process.”
Clark, one of the highest-profile executives in the agency industry, will depart almost exactly two years after joining Dentsu from DDB. It amounts to an abrupt exit by Clark, who had pushed through major changes at London-based Dentsu International, including consolidating multiple Dentsu shops, including DentsuMB, 360i and Isobar, under the Dentsu name. During her tenure, Dentsu's global agency brands were consolidated from 160 to six and Dentsu Media went from 11 shops to four.
Those consolidations were positioned as a way for the holding company to emphasize its Japanese heritage, executives said at the time. “This legacy inspired our vision for modern creativity that was born in Japan and raised in a connected world," Clark said in June during a Cannes panel.
But now, according to people close to the situation, Dentsu Group is preparing to consolidate into a single leadership structure, essentially eliminating Clark's position.