AD Agencies
Leo Burnett consolidates Asia Pacific and Greater China regions
MUMBAI: Leo Burnett Worldwide chairman and CEO Tom Bernardin announced the consolidation of the agency’s operations across Greater China and Asia Pacific.
Leo Burnett Asia Pacific president Jarek Ziebinski will take charge as the chairman and CEO for the consolidated operation including China as of 1 September 2014. The regional chairman and CEO of Greater China, Eddie Booth, will retire after 15 years with the agency. Booth will continue to be with the agency until 31 December to see through the smooth transition of leadership.
Said Bernardin, “Eddie and I have been in talks regarding his plans to retire from the agency over the past year. After more than 20 years in the industry and 15 years of successful leadership at Leo Burnett in Greater China, Eddie has decided it’s time to retire from advertising. We want to thank him for his wonderful work building Leo Burnett Greater China to what it is today and wish him every success as he embarks on his new journey in life.”
In his new role, Ziebinski will continue to report directly to Bernardin and will split his time between Shanghai and Singapore. Leo Burnett China group CEO Donald Chan will be assuming additional duties to oversee Leo Burnett Hong Kong. Both Chan Leo Burnett Taiwan group CEO Margaret Huang will report to Ziebinski.
“The consolidation of Leo Burnett’s Asia Pacific and Greater China operations is a strategic decision to bring together the best of the network’s resources, talents and capabilities across these two important regions under one proven leader. The scale and efficiencies Leo Burnett will be able to achieve from the consolidation will enable the network to deliver greater value for our clients’ businesses in today’s environment of remarkable change and possibilities,” said Bernardin.
Continued Bernardin, “Jarek’s track record of success across two very different regions – central eastern Europe and Asia Pacific – at Leo Burnett speaks for itself. The growth and momentum he delivered for Leo Burnett in Asia Pacific over the past five years makes him the ideal candidate to take over the consolidated leadership of Leo Burnett in this region. Asia Pacific is a critically important region for the Leo Burnett global network and I’m confident that with Jarek at the helm, he will be able to help us deliver the best in the world, bar none.”
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
