Omnicom Advertising CEO retires as BBDO chairman takes the helm

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Troy Ruhanen (pictured), president and CEO of Omnicom Advertising, is retiring after more than two decades in leadership roles across the group, with BBDO Worldwide chairman Andrew Robertson appointed to succeed him.

Robertson takes on the role of CEO of Omnicom Advertising with immediate effect and will work alongside Ruhanen during the transition.

The leadership change follows the integration of Omnicom Advertising after the combination of Omnicom and Interpublic. According to Omnicom, the completion of the integration marked the right time for Ruhanen to step away from the business.

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Ruhanen has spent more than 20 years in leadership roles across Omnicom. In his most recent position, he oversaw Omnicom Advertising and played a role in bringing together the group's advertising operations following the Omnicom-IPG combination.

"It has been the privilege of a lifetime to work alongside some of the most talented people in our industry. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together," said Ruhanen.

"With the integration complete, this is the right moment for me to retire. I have profound confidence in Andrew and our leadership team," he added.

Omnicom chairman and CEO John Wren credited Ruhanen with helping bring the combined organisation together while strengthening its work with clients and opportunities for employees.

"Troy has been an exceptional leader whose impact on Omnicom and our industry cannot be overstated," said Wren.

Robertson, meanwhile, brings more than two decades of leadership experience within Omnicom to his new role, alongside long-standing relationships with global clients.

His appointment will see him focus on keeping creativity at the centre of the advertising group while developing its use of AI, technology and data.

"Our plan is clear," said Robertson. "Secure a disproportionate share of the world's most exciting creative and strategic minds, equip them – through Omni – with the industry's most advanced AI enabled tools and data, to deliver exceptional results for a client list that is the envy of our competitors."

Wren said Robertson's understanding of Omnicom, its clients and the wider industry made him well positioned to lead the group, pointing in particular to his focus on creativity as the company advances its AI and technology capabilities.

The change at the top also follows a broader reshaping of Omnicom Advertising's leadership across its regions in the wake of the Omnicom-IPG combination. Earlier this year, Omnicom Advertising Asia assembled a new regional leadership team as it looked to accelerate growth and simplify how brands navigate an increasingly fragmented market.

Reporting to president Sean Donovan, the team brought together senior leaders across creativity, innovation, strategy, intelligence, business development and marketing, with expanded remits spanning the region.

The lineup includes Peter Khoury as chief creative officer, Melissa Daniels as chief innovation officer and Emmanuel Sabbagh as chief strategy officer, alongside Andreas Krasser as chief client partner and Ellie Brocklehurst as chief growth and marketing officer for OA Asia.

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