GroupM North America’s new CEO appoints his first executives

WPP’s GroupM North America has appointed its first executives under new CEO Sharb Farjami. JiYoung Kim will serve as chief operating officer and Lynne Reilly as the agency’s first chief growth officer, the agency network announced today. The best and worst Super Bowl ads Ad Age reviews the Big Game commercials Click here As chief operating officer, Kim will lead efforts to develop tools and capabilities to boost GroupM North America’s market strategy. She joins after two years as president, North America of GroupM Nexus, its digital media arm that specializes in tech and data-driven investment. Kim will work with GroupM’s first-party data unit Choreograph to implement further innovation in emerging capabilities for the agency network’s business. Prior to joining GroupM, Kim spent nearly two years as chief digital officer at Dentsu’s Carat U.S. and has previously held positions at IPG’s digital investment agencies Ansible and Reprise, now Kinesso. As chief growth officer, Reilly will be in charge of combined growth across the network’s domestic agencies. She will lead global account pitches for the North America team and maintain existing client relationships. Reilly spent a year as chief growth officer of GroupM’s Wavemaker. Reilly has previously held titles leading business acquisition and growth for IPG’s McCann and UM, and Omnicom’s Organic. “Technology, brand relationships and consumer expectations are shifting,” said Farjami, who was named CEO in January. “Our newly implemented structure will further enhance the value we deliver for clients.” The hires come as WPP CEO Mark Read recently outlined the holding company’s 2024 business outlook and investment priorities at an investor day. The holding company anticipates 2024 revenue to be flat to up 1% compared to 2023, and the holding company overall is making greater investments in AI. The strategy aligns with the GroupM hires, as the media agency network looks to increase new business and expand tech capabilities. “Our people are our greatest asset, and they make GroupM a leading force in the marketplace today,” Farjami said. “With Ji and Lynne, we will bolster our client-centric culture and enhance our operational capabilities and business performance.”

GroupM North America’s new CEO appoints his first executives

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