Master strategist Gen Kobayashi made a name for himself during his two years at Engine, but he left around the time of owner Next 15’s transformation to House 337 in 2022. He then jumped into communications and PR as EMEA CSO at IPG’s Weber Shandwick, where his familiarity with Sky (gleaned at Engine) helped win the broadcaster’s business, plus he drove growth for Mars and Unilever brands.
Whether it’s due to the Omnicom merger or a desire to return to advertising (he has remained involved with the IPA), Kobayashi has now cropped up as group CSO at M&C Saatchi, tasked with driving the agency’s “cultural power” proposition.
Kobayashi said: “I’ve always been a firm believer in the power of culture, and one of the first things I focused on at Weber Shandwick was how to get recognition for cultural conversations and coverage as a sustained driver of business impact. In a world where most agencies are focused on automation and efficiencies, very few are truly talking about people, but behavioural change is driven by people, through cultural frameworks. M+C Saatchi is a heritage brand, but the energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and the chance to shape something new is what makes this so exciting. I can’t wait to get started.”
Jo Bacon, group CEO, M+C Saatchi Group UK, said: “Gen is an exceptional strategist who truly understands the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce. He is a brilliant example of a T-shaped thinker—starting in comms and media, moving into major brand strategy roles, and most recently leading strategy at one of the world’s biggest PR agencies. That breadth and depth of experience is exactly what M+C Saatchi needs.”
