Brian Lesser, the head of data collaboration platform InfoSum, is the new global CEO of WPP's GroupM.
He succeeds Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years to become president, corporate development, at WPP.
Lesser spent 10 years with WPP including as CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. He joined WPP with the acquisition of 24/7 Real Media in 2007. In 2011 he founded Xaxis, the programmatic media buying platform which now forms part of GroupM’s media performance organisation, GroupM Nexus.
He joined AT&T as CEO of AT&T Advertising & Analytics, a $3 billion business today known as Xandr. He took on his current role as CEO and Chairman of data company InfoSum in 2020.
GroupM has simplified its structure into media agency brands EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker, plus media performance organisation GroupM Nexus and data product, service and technology company Choreograph.
The ongoing change at GroupM includes streamlining operations and back-office functions, all part of a major restructure at WPP.
“WPP and GroupM are special organisations to me," said Lesser.
"I have experienced first-hand the culture of innovation and collaboration that leads to exceptional work for advertisers. I am thrilled to be rejoining GroupM as Chief Executive Officer.
"I look forward to building with my talented colleagues, collaborating with our industry partners, and investing with our fantastic roster of global clients.”
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