MediaLink reveals new leadership structure following Michael Kassan exit

MediaLink today announced the executives who will lead its two core advisory practices following Michael Kassan’s exit in March amid a legal fight with parent company United Talent Agency. Its marketing consulting practice will be led by Managing Director Donna Sharp, who has been with the company since 2017 and rose to that role a year later; Managing Director Andrea Kerr Redniss, who has been with the firm since 2015; and Chief Brand Officer and Managing Director Lena Petersen, who has been with MediaLink since 2016. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Creativity Award winners here Its media and tech strategy consulting practice will be led by Managing Director Christopher Vollmer, who has been with the company since 2019; Managing Director Mark Wagman, who has been with MediaLink since 2016; and Managing Director Devrie DeMarco, who has been with the firm since 2014. “This group has been leading the work and delivering results for clients for many years now. Diving in with them over the last few weeks has given us tremendous confidence in their ability to lead MediaLink and drive the business forward,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. Also read: Michael Kassan fights back against UTA suit MediaLink, which was acquired by UTA in 2021 for $125 million, is a key player in ad agency reviews and placement of key chief marketing officers and CEOs. It also offers consulting in mergers and acquisitions, marketing, media and tech. MediaLink is currently handling a CRM agency review for General Motors and consulting on the automaker’s media model, as well as a media review for Gap and a creative review for Adobe. Read more: GM agency reviews continue Petersen launched the company’s leadership and industry marketing practice and advises senior executives “on their marketplace position and executive platform development,” according to MediaLink. Kerr Redniss helps clients build media and content solutions, and Sharp leads business transformation efforts for marketers and agencies, the company said. DeMarco currently oversees “a book of business, special projects, certain internal teams” and consults various companies including publishers, tech companies and retail media networks, according to the company. Vollmer focuses on “driving revenue expansion through organic growth initiatives” and mergers and acquisitions, and Wagman leads MediaLink’s data and technology solutions practice, helping clients with “digital marketing, commerce and omnichannel experiences and AI,” MediaLink said. The back-and-forth legal fight between Kassan and UTA concerns whether the longtime marketing consultant can open a competing company. Kassan is arguing that his former parent company is trying to tarnish his reputation and is entitled to form a new company because he resigned on March 6, before UTA fired him on March 7. He claims he declined a $10 million severance package to secure this right. UTA dropped its original claims against Kassan around alleged financial improprieties in late March and instead is focusing on enforcing a non-compete.

MediaLink reveals new leadership structure following Michael Kassan exit

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