Sasha Savic leaves his role as global CEO, which he began in February.
UM Global CEO Sasha Savic has left the role he took over in February, Ad Age has learned.
Effective immediately, Andrea Suarez, global president of the IPG Mediabrands business unit Thrive, will take on the role of global CEO of UM.
The news comes a month after IPG Mediabrands’ UM reorganized its U.S. leadership structure, appointing a host of new C-suite executives under U.S. CEO Joe DeMiero.
Suarez joined IPG Mediabrands in 2009 as president of Latin America for UM before moving into senior leadership roles including president of Worldmarkets and global CEO of IPG Mediabrands Latin America.
“[Suarez] is a client- and people-first leader, with a proven track record of delivering on strategic objectives for brands through purpose-driven creativity while fostering a community rooted in diversity, equity and belonging,” UM said in a statement. “Her inspirational leadership and commitment to innovation and transformation will continue to drive UM’s growth and success.”
UM did not immediately comment on Savic’s departure.
Savic was the former global chief innovation officer at WPP's Mediacom after serving as the agency’s U.S. CEO for nearly a decade. He began his advertising career at UM—then Universal McCann—in the Czech Republic in 1993.
“I started with them in Eastern Europe when I had a war in the country where I’m from, so I got a chance from them to rebuild my life,” Savic, who was born in Bosnia, previously told Ad Age. “For me, this is like coming back home.”
UM’s U.S. leadership appointments announced in May included recently hired executives Grant Ogburn as chief growth officer; Myia Thompkins as chief strategy officer; Preston Larson as chief planning officer and Brendon Volpe as chief intelligence officer. Prior UM executives who were elevated to new roles included Erin Quintana, to chief client officer, and Jennifer Wadeyka, to chief operating officer.
