McCann elevates Lee, Kiernan as Worldgroup and Mediabrands CEOs
By Ibidunni Banjoko
McCann Worldgroup has elevated Daryl Lee, the global CEO of Mediabrands to succeed Bill Kolb the chairman and CEO, who is stepping down, but will retain the chairman role, while Eileen Kiernan the global chief executive at Interpublic Group (IPG) media agency UM succeeds Daryl Lee at IPG Mediabrands.
The changes take effect immediately, but the three executives will continue working with their existing teams and clients over the next month to ensure that all necessary transitional actions related to their new roles are complete by September 6, 2022.
Commenting on the appointment, Philippe Krakowsky, Interpublic Group (IPG) CEO, stated that Daryl Lee’s long record of leadership success, across both the media and creative agency landscape, as catalysts for his being named to helm the company’s flagship creatively focused global network. Krakowsky also noted the depth and breadth of Eileen Kiernan’s experience and exceptional results helping brands achieve long-term transformation goals as key drivers for her being elevated to lead IPG’s media assets. The new role will see her become one of the senior-most female executives in the advertising sector.
Chairman of Worldgroup, Bill Kold said: “I’m proud of all that we’ve been able to accomplish here at Worldgroup over the last two decades. Being part of the leadership teams at Momentum, MRM and here at Worldgroup, I’ve seen first-hand the magic and business results we can create for our clients when we help their brands play a meaningful role in people’s lives. I look forward to working with Daryl as he carries our work forward, and with Philippe on broader group initiatives.”
On his part, Daryl Lee said: “I’m excited to combine McCann Worldgroup’s exceptional strategic and creative strength with the ways in which we’ve harnessed data and technology in the media world to accelerate growth for our clients. A hybrid mindset that understands both content and distribution is something that many clients have been demanding and it’s what is required for growth in the 21st century. I am thankful for the opportunity to help make that a reality in the marketplace. All the agencies within McCann Worldgroup are world-class and together we have the power to unlock unstoppable momentum for brands. It’s an honour to come home to McCann in this role, and I’m very much looking forward to working with Bill and the entire McCann Worldgroup family again.”
In the same vein, Eileen Kiernan said: “I am so pleased to take the helm at Mediabrands at a time when we are experiencing tremendous momentum as a network and great change as an industry,” said Kiernan. “Like Daryl, I am a true believer in Media for Good – media that is responsible, equitable and ethical – and I look forward to doubling down on our commitment to make media a positive societal force through relentless innovation and new industry standards. Our people and connectivity as a community are what drives us all forward, and I will continue to champion global initiatives that improve our internal processes, inspire our people and reflect our values.”
Daryl Lee has since 2019 served as Global CEO of IPG Mediabrands, a client-first, consultative community of 13,000 media and marketing solutions specialists in 130+ countries. During his tenure, Mediabrands has been known for its winning culture and integration of data and technology to power audience-led marketing that delivers business results. Lee has also been a champion of inclusion in media investment, notably through the industry’s first “Equity Upfronts,” which Mediabrands introduced in 2020.
With Eileen Kiernan experience for the past nine and a half years, Kiernan served in a succession of increasingly senior global leadership positions at UM, rising from CMO of the agency to Global President to CEO.
Interpublic Group is a global provider of marketing solutions, which specializes in advertising, digital marketing, communications planning, media, public relations and specialty marketing.
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