Publicis Groupe has appointed Susie Nam as the new CEO of Publicis Creative US, succeeding Andrew Swinand, a longstanding media and creative veteran, who will be departing in the spring to explore new opportunities.In her new role, Nam will be responsible for overseeing several prominent agency brands, including Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Fallon, BBH, Team One, The Community, and Turner Duckworth. She will report directly to Carla Serrano, Publicis Groupe’s group chief strategy officer.

Previously, Nam served as CEO of the Americas at Droga5, where she held various roles for 14 years, spanning account management and operations. She ascended to the position of COO in 2015 and became CEO in 2021 before leaving in May of the current year. Publicis commends her for designing agency systems and cultures that foster groundbreaking ideas and attract top-tier talent.

Nam’s career trajectory began in publishing as a journalist at George magazine, followed by a stint as a features editor for The New York Times’ inaugural online edition. Her journey continued with studies at the London School of Economics and work as an urban planner in England before transitioning to advertising at Fallon. She joined Droga5 in 2009.

Known for her advocacy and leadership in promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion, Nam presently chairs the ADCOLOR Board of Directors and holds the distinction of being an Aspen Institute First Movers Fellow. She was recognized as one of The Ad Club’s 2023 Innovators and received the Impact Award from the Asian American Federation.

Commenting on her new role, Nam emphasized the importance of best-in-class creativity in the face of innovation and technological advancements. Carla Serrano expressed optimism about Nam’s ability to bring together creativity, data, technology, and consultancy, foreseeing significant opportunities for clients, agency brands, and talent.

Andrew Swinand, who has been in the role of US creative and production chief for three years and led the Leo Burnett Group since 2017, founded Transparent, a marketing technology consultancy, and was a founder of Abundant Venture Partners before his recent tenure.

Before venturing into martech startups and advisory services, Swinand was the president of Publicis Groupe’s Starcom Mediavest Group from 2000 to 2011, commencing his agency career at BBDO.