Omnicom Redesignates Global CEO Role to 'Brand President' Across Six Media Agencies

Omnicom Media has appointed Ellen Griffin as global brand president of OMD, its flagship media agency network, effective immediately. The move marks the first confirmed placement under a new title architecture introduced across all six of Omnicom Media's agency brands following its acquisition of IPG.

Griffin succeeds George Manas, who transitions to chief growth and solutions officer at Omnicom. She previously served as OMD's global president and chief operating officer.

A New Title Replaces the Global CEO Role Across Six Brands

The "global brand president" title is not a new position. It is a deliberate redesignation of the former "global CEO" role, applied across all six Omnicom Media agency brands: OMD, PHD, Hearts & Science, Initiative, UM, and Mediahub. The change took effect January 1, 2026.

Omnicom-IPG Merger Cuts 4,000 Jobs, Compresses APAC Executive Pay

The Omnicom-IPG merger is eliminating senior advertising roles across Asia and compressing executive pay by up to 60% as the combined company pursues US$750M in savings.

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The redesignation follows Omnicom's US$13 billion acquisition of IPG, which combined the two groups' media operations into a single division with combined revenue exceeding US$25 billion. That figure represents more than 50% of Omnicom's total revenues.

Florian Adamski, CEO of Omnicom Media, said of the outgoing OMD leader: "George has been an exceptional steward of the OMD brand over the past four years." Adamski framed Griffin's appointment as reflecting the network's focus on placing leaders with direct client and operational experience in senior roles.

Griffin, who joined OMD in 2018 as global innovation director, has held roles including global chief client solutions officer and OMD's first-ever global COO. Her client experience spans marketing transformation work for McDonald's, PepsiCo, and The Clorox Company.

"In this environment, clients need partners who help them navigate not only the challenges they see, but the ones they do not yet recognize," Griffin said.

Three-Tier Structure Formalizes Group-Level Authority

The title change reflects a broader shift in how Omnicom Media is organized. Real operational authority over data infrastructure, buying scale, and technology sits at the Omnicom Media Group level under Adamski. Brand presidents like Griffin manage client experience and agency identity, not independent profit-and-loss accounts.

A new enterprise client service layer sits between Adamski and the brand presidents. Chief Client and Business Officer Jacki Kelley and Client Experience Officer Andrea Lennon lead a team of client success leaders who develop strategies across the group's divisions.

This creates a three-tier structure: group CEO, client success layer, and global brand presidents.

Before the IPG acquisition, 60–70% of large pitches at Omnicom Media were already being pursued at the group level rather than by individual agency brands. The new model formalizes that direction.

Two global brand president positions, for Mediahub and Hearts & Science, remain unfilled as of the latest available reporting.

APAC Leadership Consolidated Under Single Regional CEO

In Asia-Pacific, Tony Harradine serves as CEO of Omnicom Media Group APAC, overseeing all six media agency brands in the region. This consolidates what were previously separate regional leadership structures for legacy Omnicom and IPG Mediabrands agencies.

Additional regional appointments include Joey Zhao as chief operating officer of Omnicom Media China, while retaining his leadership of PHD China, and Melissa Chan as CEO of Omnicom Production for APAC.

The restructuring also extends beyond media. Omnicom has reorganized into six capability-based divisions: media, public relations, production, advertising, diversified agency services, and a unit for its Omni data platform and Flywheel Commerce Network. In the PR division, Golin and Ketchum have merged, and Porter Novelli has been integrated within FleishmanHillard.

Omnicom's post-merger restructuring targets US$750 million in annual savings. The company cut 8,200 positions in 2025 and has announced plans for 15,000 additional reductions over three years, targeting a total headcount of 105,000 by mid-2028. Further leadership announcements across the six media brands are expected as the integration continues through 2026.