One year ago, dentsu’s leadership team in Australia looked vastly different from what it will do come 1 January 2023.
“We’ve seen particular units, or particular agencies have this type of leadership change, but never across the whole holding company,” says CEO of TrinityP3 Darren Woolley on this week’s Mumbrellacast.
Each of its main divisions, including Dentsu Creative, its media business, Merkle and Dentsu Solutions have all seen major hires across the year, with the new boss Patricio De Matteis still to come.
“The big change here is really all of these people have been bought from other organisations, and that’s going to have some significant cultural effects because all of them will come with their own ways of working and their own ways of doing things, which must have an impact on the way the agency feels and works.”
So what will dentsu look like in 2023? And what can it expect from the operators it has brought in, including Ben Shepherd and Fiona Johnston?
Then, what are the conditions leading to cuts across WPP, M&C Saatchi, AJF Partnership, Cummins&Partners and Ogilvy? The panel discusses the past two years of market conditions, why advertising businesses are getting things balanced for 2023, and if the talent crisis will roll on into the new year.
Finally, chief strategy officer at Initiative Australia, Chris Colter chats about what has done well, and what has not in 2022, who the real winner was [after a war of words], and the big bet Network Ten needs to lay to turn things around next year.
Episode Breakdown
- Has dentsu finally filled all its senior roles? (02:28)
- Job cuts take grip as 2023 looms large (18:45)
- TV ratings with Chris Colter (27:35)