Brit Robert Horler takes top media job at Dentsu US
Dentsu Aegis has promoted Northern Europe boss Rob Horler (left) to CEO Dentsu Aegis Network in the US, reporting to Americas and Europe boss Nigel Morris.
This is a big leg up for the bright and amiable Horler who made his name in London, first as managing partner of Carat Interactive and then as them the founder of digital agency Diffiniti, which was eventually rolled into the iProspect network.
Horler’s promotion is part of a definite pattern in adland: the digerati (or one-time digerati) really do seem to be taking over the world. In London recently we’ve had Lean Mean Fighting Machine founder Tom Bazeley becoming CEO of M&C Saatchi and Havas reorganising Havas Worldwide and Havas Work Club into one entity and starting a new data network Helia.
Horler says: “It is with great pride and excitement that I take up the role of CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network, USA, to lead our business in the most dynamic market in the world. Supported by Nigel (Morris) and the US leadership team, many of whom I know well, I am confident that we will build on the considerable momentum that has fuelled our success to date, strengthening the network and brands for the benefit of our clients.” As you do.
Of the clients he mentions, far and away the most important is General Motors, to whose $3bn global account Aegis-owned Carat was appointed just over two years ago. Dentsu Aegis employs over 4500 people in the US, mainly in New York but with a sizeable Carat outpost in GM’s home town of Detroit.