MUMBAI: Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) CEO Renetta McCann announced the appointment of John Muszynski as Starcom USA CEO with immediate effect. Until recently the position was held by McCann himself.
According to McCann, "John is someone who is constantly looking ahead to meet the opportunities and challenges of the future. He has the tenacity and the authority to embrace change, and was the clear choice to lead one of the most innovative and admired agencies in the media business."
An organisational veteran, Muszynski started with the company in 1981 right out of university. Until 1990, Muszynski worked within the planning or strategy discipline before joining the agency’s broadcast investment group (BIG) where in 1999 he held the position of chief broadcast investment officer.
During his tenure as Starcom’s top investment expert, he helped SMG launch the broadband upfront market. He was a founding member of Starcom’s Video Investment Group (VIG), a team of media-neutral experts who explore the full spectrum of visual options when mapping out client plans. In April 2004, Muszynski was appointed Starcom’s managing director, investment and operations and was reporting to McCann.
"Anyone that knows me knows that I thrive on competition. With Starcom already one of the undisputed leaders in our industry, the competition hasn’t lessened. In fact, the competition has only increased because we are competing to outdo ourselves. On my watch, Starcom will continue to embrace change and the policies that made it successful, while remaining an incubator of industry-shaping ideas and the home for people that make that type of thinking happen," said Muszynski.
Rounding out the Starcom USA management team is Steven Feuling, chief marketing officer as well as group client leaders Chris Boothe, Kathy Ring, Andrew Swinand and Elizabeth Herbst-Brady. Herbst-Brady joined the company in September 2004 from NBC Universal as Muszynski’s successor leading Starcom’s BIG.
A noted leader in the media industry, Muszynski has won numerous industry honors including AdAge’s Media Maven, TVWeek’s Buyer of the Year, Mediaweek All-Star, and a Kidscreen Golden Marble Award for Best Media Director, as well as client accolades. Most recently, he helped Starcom win the Best Buy Bravo Award for its business partner delivering the highest level of quality performance.
