Dentsu Aegis Network U.S. CEO Rob Horler is leaving the agency network after 17 years to “pursue new opportunities,” The Drum reports. Dentsu Aegis Network Americas CEO Nigel Morris will serve as interim U.S. CEO following Horler’s departure.
Horler has served as U.S. CEO for the network since 2015, following stints as CEO of Aegis Media U.K. and Dentsu Aegis Network Northern Europe. He originally joined the Dentsu network as a managing partner for Carat Interactive in 2000, before going on to found Difiiniti (now part of iProspect).
“I am incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved together. I joined the U.S. team in 2015 with the goal of doubling [the] size of our business, and we have done that, with a particular focus on scaling our data capabilities as well as specialized services including B2B and multicultural marketing,” Horler told The Drum in a statement. “With the U.S. business in the hands of great people and strong talent, we are well set up for future, and after 17 years, this felt like the right time to step back and do something different. It has been an incredible journey and I’m thankful for the opportunity, and look forward to new challenges.”
“Throughout his career with the group, Rob has been a key driver of our success and a hands-on, operational leader. We thank him for all of his contributions and wish him the best for the future,” Morris added.
Earlier this month we learned that gyro, the b2b specialty shop Dentsu acquired less than a year ago, went through a round of downsizing. The network made a series of leadership changes in Edinburgh, Scotland at the beginning of the year, and also completed the integration of U.S.-based agencies MKTG and Team Epic.