Chief Global Client Officer for Omnicom Media Group Germany Moves to New Role After Leading PHD’s Volkswagen Group Relationship
Read our announcement below, and the article on Campaign here.
London, UK (December 16, 2024) – Omnicom Media Group (OMG) agency PHD Worldwide has named Susanne Grundmann as its new EMEA CEO, charged with ensuring industry-leading capabilities and solutions across the region that accounts for more than 40% of PHD’s global billings.
Grundmann, who joined OMG in 2018, most recently served as Chief Global Client Officer for OMG Germany, a role in which she led PHD’s largest account – Volkswagen Group, which recently renewed its eight-year relationship with the agency following a two-year review.
“A region as diverse as EMEA – with its vibrant blend of mature markets, emerging economies, and rapidly evolving digital ecosystems – demands a leader with a truly international perspective,” says PHD Worldwide CEO Guy Marks. “Someone who sees the opportunity through the local market lens, understanding where they are on their transformation journey, ensuring our agencies have the future fit capabilities to deliver growth for our clients. Having driven media transformation for local, regional, and global clients across the EMEA, Susanne has the expertise to meet this mandate. Bringing the skills that have been the hallmark of her tenure with OMG – vision, drive, and relentless focus on growth – she will ensure that our EMEA agencies are engineered to outthink, outpaceand outgrow the marketplace.”
Prior to being named Chief Global Client Officer in 2022, Grundmann was CEO of OMD Germany where she led an expansion in capabilities that made the agency a digital leader in the market and earned her recognition from Campaign as Agency Leader of the Year (Digital & Media) in 2022. In its profile, Campaign applauded Grundmann’s skill in building enduring client relationships and introducing new processes and structures to enable a center of excellence for international brands.
Grundmann succeeds Toby Hack, who is moving to an Omnicom Media Group role following 14 years at PHD.
“On behalf of PHD, I want to thank Toby for his leadership at PHD which spans an impressive 14 years across two continents,” says Marks. “The business has transformed and modernized during his tenure, and we are very grateful for the impact he has made to the agency’s culture and success.”
Says Hack, “It’s been a privilege to have played a part in PHD’s incredible transformation and growth. As I focus on a new challenge, I am grateful to have worked with so many brilliant people across the network and proud of the results we have delivered together for our clients.”
Grundmann joins PHD as the agency is poised to finish the year as the #1 global media network for total new business (wins minus losses, including retentions) winning $3.7b in billings YTD; and the #1 network in EMEA with $1.9b in awarded billings. Her appointment marks the latest in a series of leadership announcements made by PHD in recent months – including Global Chief Operating Officer Vincent Rebeix, PHD APAC CEO Eileen Ooi, and Global Chief Experience Officer Rohan Tambyrajah – as the agency builds a next-generation media network.
Commenting on her new role, Grundmann said, “As the media landscape becomes ever more complex, and the competition for consumer attention more challenging, driving brand growth through media demands holistic solutions that connect the consumer experience across all touchpoints of the purchase journey. As the CEO of PHD EMEA, my priority will be ensuring that every market can deliver those solutions, connecting media, content, and commerce to deliver transformative business outcomes for our clients.”
Grundmann will join PHD on January 1, reporting to Marks and Omnicom Media Group EMEA CEO Dan Clays.
