GroupM, the biggest media management operation in the U.S.,
has named a new CEO, Rob Norman, who comes from the company's digital division.
Norman
will share management duties with GroupM colleague Rino Scanzoni who is chief
investment officer. The appointment sees the end of Marc Goldstein's full time
role with the company. Goldstein previously held the CEO spot for the North
American division and will leave his position at the end of March. He had been
in the role for the past two years and will remain a senior advisor. Goldstein
had been a veteran of the media buying world. His departure signals a major
changing of the guard for the company as the communications world moves towards
more measurable media outlets.
Norman
is CEO of GroupM Interaction and will retain that role while adding his other
duties.
GroupM is the parent company of several media agencies
including Mindshare, Mediaedge:cia, Maxus and MediaCom. Its roll is to manage
the many billions of advertising dollars that flow through those agencies to
best effect.
The ascension of an executive whose skills are so heavily
weighted towards the digital world, indicate the importance that both media
companies and marketers are placing on such experience. "Rob's background
combined with the direction the media marketplace is headed, makes him the
perfect choice to lead GroupM in this region in the coming decade," said CEO
Irwin Gotleib in a statement Jan. 4.
Norman
led the digital practice of agency Mediaedge:cia. He was also chairman of
Mediaedge:cia in the U.K.
between 2002 and 2004. He moved to New
York in 2005 to lead the creation of MEC Interaction.
