FleishmanHillard's Global Consumer Culture Chief Steps Down After 11 Years

Lauren Winter, global managing director of consumer culture and EMEA head of brand marketing at FleishmanHillard, has stepped down from the Omnicom-owned agency after more than 11 years to "pursue a new challenge." No successor has been named.

A Decade of Consumer Practice Leadership Ends

Winter joined FleishmanHillard in 2015 as head of brand marketing. She progressively expanded her role, becoming global managing director of consumer culture in 2021. Her client portfolio included Bose, Unilever, Fitbit, Krispy Kreme, Puma, Pimm's, and Google.

She also built institutional programs at the agency, including a Youth and Culture team and a Residency program designed to help talented individuals without academic qualifications enter the industry.

Marshall Manson, UK chief executive of FleishmanHillard, said Winter "has driven significant innovation and positive change, alongside a strong track record of client wins and transformative work." Winter said the move felt like "the right moment to start a new chapter."

Departure Lands During Omnicom's Largest-Ever Restructuring

Winter's exit coincides with significant upheaval across Omnicom's communications portfolio. In December 2025, Omnicom announced 4,000 redundancies following the completion of its acquisition of Interpublic Group. The group also doubled its annual cost savings target to US$1.5 billion, with US$1 billion of that attributed to staffing reductions.

The restructuring has also reshaped FleishmanHillard's agency portfolio. Porter Novelli became a dedicated brand within FleishmanHillard, while Golin merged with Ketchum. Concurrent senior departures across the Omnicom network include Helen Bennett leaving Weber Shandwick and Sarah Hargrave exiting Porter Novelli.

Industry data collected before the merger shows that 43% of PR agency leaders already cited talent retention as their primary challenge, with 42% flagging recruiting. Those pressures have since intensified.

FleishmanHillard Reshapes Leadership Around Operations and Data

Between November 2024 and August 2025, FleishmanHillard made at least six senior leadership appointments, including a chief operating officer, chief client officer, chief business development and brand officer, global head of data and digital, chief of staff, and global head of practices and sectors. In August 2025, the agency also named a global managing director of corporate affairs.

In November 2025, FleishmanHillard appointed a chief creative officer for the Americas. A global consumer culture replacement has not been announced.

FleishmanHillard is ranked as the 14th-largest PR agency in the UK, with estimated 2024 revenue of £39 million.

Prior to FleishmanHillard, Winter served as associate director at Ogilvy and creative head at Shine, where she led work for Evian, GHD, and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. She declined to comment on her next move.