MAM
Mipim names Nicolas Boffi as new director
PARIS: Rx France has appointed Nicolas Boffi as director of Mipim, the global urban festival that each March draws more than 20,000 delegates to Cannes. An engineer and urban planner by training, Boffi has over two decades of experience in real estate and urban development, spanning project management, business development and public affairs.
He joins from Arcadis, where he led strategy for the global cities programme as Paris city executive, working with both the private sector and city leaders on sustainable projects in the French capital and beyond.
Boffi succeeds Nicolas Kozubek, who steered Mipim through a turbulent period of industry change. Under his watch, Mipim became a forum where real-estate players and policymakers confronted geopolitical risk, technological disruption and the shift towards sustainability.
Filippo Rean, managing director at Rx France, said Boffi’s “strategic mindset and track record in aligning public and private priorities” would help sharpen Mipim’s position as the place where cities’ biggest challenges—sustainability, resilience and competitiveness—are tackled head-on.
Boffi said his priority was to deepen dialogue between the public and private sectors. “The next few years will bring economic, political and fiscal challenges that demand collaboration and bold decision-making,” he said. “Mipim must be where uncertainty turns into opportunity.”
Expect new content under his leadership, from a sharper focus on AI disruption to the race to net zero.
Mipim returns to the Palais des Festivals in Cannes from 9-13 March 2026. The Mipim Asia Summit runs on 3-4 December 2025 in Hong Kong.
MAM
Kenneth Roman, former Ogilvy CEO and ad industry veteran, passes away at 95
Longtime Ogilvy & Mather leader and David Ogilvy biographer leaves lasting legacy
NEW YORK: Kenneth Roman, the former chairman and chief executive of Ogilvy & Mather and a defining figure of Madison Avenue’s golden era, has passed away at the age of 95. He died on 22 April 2026 at his home in Manhattan.
Roman spent more than two decades at Ogilvy, joining in 1963 as an account executive and steadily rising through the ranks to lead the agency as chairman and CEO from 1985 to 1989. His tenure coincided with a pivotal period in the company’s history, including its acquisition by WPP.
Beyond the boardroom, Roman was widely respected as the definitive chronicler of the agency’s founder, David Ogilvy. His biography, The King of Madison Avenue, remains one of the most authoritative accounts of modern advertising’s evolution. He also co-authored influential titles such as How to Advertise and Writing That Works, both regarded as essential reading in the industry.
In a tribute, Ogilvy described Roman as a “quietly determined” leader and a lifelong custodian of the agency’s culture. Even after retirement, he remained closely connected to the firm, contributing articles, mentoring talent and serving as a trusted voice on its history and values.
Colleagues remember him not just for his leadership, but for his generosity and commitment to the craft of writing and storytelling. His presence at industry events and continued engagement with the Ogilvy community reflected a career that never quite slowed down.
Roman’s passing marks the end of an era for the original Madison Avenue generation. He leaves behind a legacy shaped by leadership, authorship and an enduring belief in the power of ideas and people.
