Dentsu Americas Appoints New Leadership To Bolster Client Experience, Integrated Strategy & Media Innovation

December 6, 2023, New York, N.Y. Dentsu today announced a series of new leadership appointments with a focus on delivering exceptional client experience, integrated client strategy in an increasingly competitive market, and extending leadership in identity-enabled media. Annette Warring has been named Chief Client Officer, dentsu Americas. Ryan McHardy has been named Chief Strategy Officer, dentsu Americas. Sean Reardon has been named CEO, Media Practice, dentsu Americas. 

These appointments come at a time of business growth, transformation and growing client demand for integrated solutions that drive sustainable value creation. Aligned with Dentsu Group’s global vision to consolidate customer touch points, promote faster delivery of diverse and advanced practices and further elevate operational efficiency, and accelerate client growth as an evolved "One dentsu.”

"The pace of change of consumer behavior and marketing technologies means we must adapt faster than ever. This fall we began to make changes in our business to make our brands more interoperable and truly differentiated. Now, we are completing the leadership appointments to drive our best-in-class model and redefine how modern marketers can partner with their agencies to drive more growth through purposeful innovation and tighter integration," says Michael Komasinski, CEO, dentsu Americas. “Annette, Ryan and Sean are undoubtedly critical to driving our strategic growth ambition. Their collective vision and extensive expertise will be invaluable in making dentsu – and our clients - even more effective and competitive in today's ever-changing market.”

Annette Warring        
Chief Client Officer, dentsu Americas & Executive Global Client President

Annette Warring has been appointed Chief Client Officer, dentsu Americas, effective January 1. In this role, Annette will oversee a strategic portfolio of clients across the Americas, building and growing relationships with the world's leading companies to drive client value and co-innovation. Annette will lead a team of client leaders who will focus on ensuring clients a consistently exceptional and integrated experience - enabling access to the most innovative solutions, talent and thought leadership to unlock new streams of growth and solve clients' most pressing challenges.

Annette Warring is a seasoned industry veteran with an impressive 35-year track record, marked by a dynamic career trajectory that has seen her excel in various executive and agency leadership roles. Annette’s journey with dentsu began in 2007, following an acquisition that led to the formation of Vizeum, now integrated with iProspect. Since then, Warring has been a driving force within the dentsu ecosystem, serving as CEO of dentsu Canada, and holding the pivotal role of Executive Global Client President -- overseeing one of dentsu's largest integrated clients, orchestrating collaborative efforts across multiple practice areas.

“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter as Chief Client Officer,” said Warring. “I look forward to cultivating dynamic partnerships with many of the world's leading companies. Our journey is fuelled by a commitment to delivering not just solutions, but transformative experiences, leveraging dentsu's rich legacy of innovation, forward-thinking leadership, and data-driven insights.”

Ryan McHardy           
Chief Strategy Officer, dentsu Americas

Ryan McHardy has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer, dentsu Americas. In this role, Ryan will focus on driving strategic business growth for integrated clients across dentsu Americas. Ryan will lead a high-performing team of integrated strategists that will serve as business strategy experts, collaborating with client teams to push beyond standard marketing briefs and elevate critical thinking, helping connect brand experiences with business performance. Ryan joined dentsu on November 15, 2023.

Ryan is an experienced and awarded strategy leader who brings a depth of expertise across marketing effectiveness, breakthrough creativity, transformation, and driving profitable growth. Prior to joining dentsu, Ryan was EVP, Head of Business Strategy at McCann, where he drove the development of integrated business and marketing solutions for clients. Before McCann, Ryan held multiple planning and strategy leadership roles for the Publicis Groupe on integrated clients across creative, media, technology, and consulting.

“It’s clear to me dentsu has pursued a structure to enable their clients' growth and transformation in a uniquely real way,” said McHardy. “All of the market talks about it, but the agility of dentsu to materially deliver it is what compelled me to join the team. To get the chance to drive that strategically, alongside the exceptional humanity of this organization, for such a wide range of category-leading clients is exciting.”

Sean Reardon            
CEO, Media Practice, dentsu Americas

Sean Reardon has been appointed CEO, Media Practice, dentsu Americas. In this role, Sean will guide the strategic vision and performance of Carat, iProspect, and dentsu X in the world’s largest region across Dentsu Group, lead over 3,900 media innovators across the U.S., Canada and Latin America, and leverage a scaled network of innovative capabilities, products and identity-driven solutions to support, grow and transform the world’s leading advertisers. Sean joins dentsu on January 16, 2024. 

An established veteran of the ad tech, advertising, media and marketing industries, Sean Reardon has 25 years of experience driving strategic vision, business transformation, organizational growth and bottom-line results for the clients and organizations he leads. Prior to joining dentsu, Sean was U.S. & Global CEO of MiQ, where he was a critical part of the company’s evolution in becoming one of the largest independent programmatic media companies globally. Prior to MiQ, Sean concurrently served as the CEO for three brands within Publicis Groupe – Zenith Media USA, Moxie and MRY. Sean brings extensive and proven experience across virtually all major categories, namely entertainment, technology, finance fashion and commerce. 

“Dentsu has all the pieces to take a defining position in our industry,” said Reardon. “We have three world-class media brands in Carat, dentsu X and iProspect, underpinned by a framework of global practices and differentiating capabilities that allow client solutions to be brought to bear across the entirety of the marketing spectrum. As I've met with leaders across the team, I've been drawn to a common passion and burgeoning momentum that is clearly tied to Michael's leadership and vision. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take on this role, to work alongside a spectacular group of people, and to play a part in elevating our position in the marketplace.”

With the appointments of Annette, Ryan and Sean, the dentsu Americas Executive Leadership Team is solidified under Michael Komasinski, who was appointed CEO in June 2023. Since Michael’s appointment, the region has moved at pace to realign its market-leading performance capabilities to meet accelerated client demand – a strategic move that contributed to iProspect being recognized as Search & Performance Marketing Agency of the Year by Mediapost. Additionally, the Americas region has secured significant new business wins – including, KraftHeinz, Truist, Papa John’s and Alsea - and organically grown client relationships across practice areas. 

About dentsu             
Dentsu is the network designed for what’s next, helping clients predict and plan for disruptive future opportunities and create new paths to growth in the sustainable economy. Taking a people-centered approach to business transformation, we use insights to connect brand, content, commerce and experience, underpinned by modern creativity. As part of Dentsu Group Inc. (Tokyo: 4324; ISIN: JP3551520004), we are headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and our 72,000-strong employee-base of dedicated professionals work across four regions (Japan, Americas, EMEA and APAC). Dentsu combines Japanese innovation with a diverse, global perspective to drive client growth and to shape society. 

Media Contacts: 

Jeremy Miller
jeremy@dentsu.com

Asha Gopalan Ramirez
asha.ramirez@dentsu.com

Kate Kelley
kate.kelley@dentsu.com