Ogilvy has a new EMEA CEO in Patou Nuytemans who succeeds long-serving Paul O’Donnell. O’Donnell is staying on as chairman.
Nuytemans left) was global chief growth officer at the WPP agency, spanning its public relations, growth and innovation, advertising, health, and experience businesses.
Ogilvy global CEO Andy Main says: “Anyone who has had the chance to work with Patou will tell you that she not only fosters a culture of creative, strategic and operational excellence, but also leads with empathy and compassion.
“Throughout her career, she has demonstrated how Ogilvy can drive business-changing, life-changing impact when we create and innovate at the intersection of our world-class capabilities and talent. I could not think of a more qualified leader to drive growth for our clients in the region, nor a better partner to our global leadership team as we take Ogilvy into the future.”
Nuyteman (above) says: “I couldn’t be more excited about taking up this next challenge with the agency that I grew up in and love, especially at this time.
“While the last 18 months have been difficult in so many ways for so many people, it has also been a period of incredible transformation, digital innovation and focus on what matters. There is hence so much opportunity to accelerate not only how we bring our talent together across our network in a future-fit, diverse and inspiring work environment, but also how we adopt new, powerful skills to make and deliver ideas.”
With extensive digital experience Nuytemans certainly fits the playbook of former Deloitte Digital boss Main. Ogilvy, the biggest of WPP’s creative agencies, has struggled in recently years, moving to ‘One Ogilvy’ from, in effect, a holding company within a holding company.
WPP now has four big creative brands: Ogilvy, Wunderman Thompson, VMLY&R and AKQA Group which incorporates Grey. Should WPP CEO Mark Read or his shareholders decide he doesn’t need that many, Ogilvy, which was dragged kicking and screaming into WPP 30 years ago by Sir Martin Sorrell, could probably stand alone.
