Omnicom has appointed Kristiaan Kroon as CEO of Omnicom Media amid widespread restructuring following its A$20-billion acquisition of IPG. Several senior leaders exit as new roles are assigned across media, creative, production, and PR. The revamped Oceania structure introduces six core practice areas and retires legacy brands including DDB and MullenLowe.
Omnicom’s sweeping reorganisation across its Oceania operations has entered a decisive new phase with the appointment of Kristiaan Kroon as CEO of Omnicom Media, marking one of the most significant leadership shifts since the holding company finalised its A$20-billion acquisition of IPG last week. The move, confirmed internally by Omnicom Media Group APAC CEO Tony Harradine, forms part of Nick Garrett’s ambitious plan to reshape the combined Omnicom–IPG operation into a unified powerhouse with a tighter structure, new leadership dynamics, and a consolidated portfolio of agency brands. The leadership overhaul, however, has not come without casualties, with several senior executives—across multiple agencies and functions—exiting the organisation as the merged entity takes form.
Kroon’s appointment follows months of speculation surrounding Omnicom’s post-merger leadership strategy. His elevation also coincides with the departure of several long-standing executives, including the head of Magna Australia, Lucy Formosa Morgan, who exits the group as part of the restructuring. In a parallel development, Mumbrella has confirmed that John Clements, CFO of IPG Mediabrands Australia, has been made redundant from the newly merged organisation, underscoring the depth of consolidation now under way. Kroon, who previously spent eight years as Omnicom Media Group’s chief investment officer before rising to chief operating officer last December, will now play a central role in steering Omnicom’s evolving media operations across Oceania under Garrett’s leadership umbrella.
As part of the reshuffle, former PHD Australia CEO Mark Jarrett has been appointed to fill Kroon’s former role as chief client officer within Omnicom Media, reporting directly to him. Jarrett’s move comes as a surprise to some within the group, but reflects Garrett’s strategic intention to appoint experienced leaders capable of stabilising and transforming the restructured media organisation. In contrast, the absence of senior executives such as Mark Coad, CEO of IPG Mediabrands, and Leigh Terry from the new leadership team is notable; both were made redundant late on Monday, ending long tenures within their respective networks.
Amid the flux, one long-serving executive has emerged with strengthened responsibilities. Holdco veteran Donna Bartlett, who has spent two decades with Omnicom, has been officially named CFO of Omnicom Media after serving in the role on an interim basis for the past six months. Her appointment signals a desire for continuity in the financial oversight of the newly merged media entity as it integrates operations, systems, and talent pools.
Kroon’s new remit aligns closely with the broader regional transformation strategy being orchestrated by Nick Garrett, who has become one of the most influential figures shaping the future of Omnicom Oceania. Garrett has brought together a number of reshaped agency leaders, including Sheryl Marjoram and Mike Napolitano—formerly heads of DDB Sydney and Melbourne, now co-CEOs of the newly merged Clemenger BBDO, which itself has absorbed elements of the global DDB network following its retirement as an independent brand. The consolidation places significant weight on the leadership trio of Kroon, Marjoram, and Napolitano, all of whom report directly to Garrett as Omnicom builds a refreshed, integrated operational model across the region.
Also taking on an expanded role is former Clemenger CEO Lee Leggett, who has been appointed chief customer officer for Omnicom Oceania. Leggett joins the leadership core as a key figure in connecting agency capability with client needs across the redesigned structure. Media leaders Laura Nice—transitioning from OMD co-CEO to CEO of PHD Australia—and Sian Whitnall, now sole CEO of OMD Australia, round out the frontline leadership team reporting to Kroon, representing the strengthened media leadership mix intended to guide the group through the next phase of integration.
The next major step for the newly merged operation will be the rollout of six core practice areas that will define Omnicom Oceania’s operational blueprint. These areas are expected to include data, analytics and marketing intelligence; marketing technology, strategy and implementation; centralised content production; customer engagement, loyalty and CRM; commerce; and earned capability, which spans public relations, events, and social. Mumbrella understands that the earned capability function is being overseen by Roberto Pace, currently group managing director of TBWA PR in Sydney, who will unite global brand FleishmanHillard and homegrown agency Eleven—now expanded following the integration of ex-DDB PR unit Mango. It remains unclear whether Weber Shandwick, another major global PR brand, will be folded into the same practice area.
Beyond PR, the production function is also seeing consolidation, with TBWA’s production chief Lisa Brown elevated to lead production across Omnicom Oceania. Her leadership will be essential as multiple production operations across the region are unified into a single capability stream. In New Zealand, Daniel Shaw, CEO of customer-insights agency Perceptive, is expected to take charge of one of the newly defined practice areas, most likely those related to data, analytics, or marketing technology, given Perceptive’s established strengths in those fields.
The restructuring comes during a period of historic change for Omnicom following its acquisition of IPG, a move that stunned the global advertising world and set off a wave of questions about brand fates, talent duplication, and the future of longstanding agencies within both networks. Just a week after the deal’s finalisation, Omnicom’s plans for Oceania appear to provide the clearest early signals of how the global strategy will play out. One of the most significant repercussions has been the global retirement of the 71-year-old DDB agency brand. While Clemenger BBDO will retain the DDB identity for international markets under TBWA, in Australia and New Zealand, DDB will be absorbed entirely into Clemenger BBDO. Staff at DDB Sydney are expected to relocate to Clemenger BBDO’s Walsh Bay office by year’s end, with around 50 employees—mostly servicing Volkswagen—still determining their place in the new structure.
Other IPG creative agencies, including FutureBrand and McCann, will remain fully intact, as will media agencies Initiative and UM. However, the impact on MullenLowe has been definitive: the brand will retire globally. As a result, privately held agency 303 MullenLowe has shed its global network association and rebranded simply as “303,” marking the end of the MullenLowe name within the region.
The breadth and speed of the changes reflect Omnicom’s determination to streamline operations, eliminate duplication, and rebuild a more agile and connected network following the industry’s largest acquisition to date. For employees and clients, the past year has been one of uncertainty, but the emerging leadership slate and structural blueprint suggest that Omnicom’s post-merger identity is beginning to solidify. With Kristiaan Kroon now at the helm of its media operations, Omnicom is positioning itself to navigate the complexities of integration while preparing for the next era of competition—one defined by convergence, capability alignment, and leadership teams built to steer through transformative change.
