This morning brought news that DDB global CEO Wendy Clark had resigned from the agency to join Dentsu Aegis Network as global CEO, effective this September.
With Clark’s departure, DDB chairman Chuck Brymer (pictured) will assume chief executive responsibilities while DDB seeks a new global CEO. Brymer had held the CEO role for 12 years before Clark’s appointment.
Brymer first announced the news in an internal memo, which has been obtained by AgencySpy. In the memo, Brymer informed employees that Clark “has advised us that she will be leaving DDB Worldwide in the very near future” and that he subsequently “has agreed to lead the company on an interim basis until which time we have established the new leadership structure.”
He acknowledged the difficulties of dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, noting that “the next few months” would be a difficult time.
“The challenges that we and our clients are facing are beyond anything we could have imagined even a few months ago,” he added while noting that the agency’s “incredible leadership team, spirit and resolve” would help ensure “as smooth a transition as possible.”
We’ve included the memo in full below:
Hi all,
First off, I hope everyone and their families are keeping safe through this crisis. This is truly an unprecedented time, and the health and well-being of our people [are] paramount.
I want to share some important news with you. Wendy Clark has advised us that she will be leaving DDB Worldwide in the very near future. In order to ensure that our teams and clients across the network are supported, I have agreed to lead the company on an interim basis until which time we have established the new leadership structure.
For those of you who may not know me, I was the global CEO of DDB for twelve years from 2006 to 2018, at which time I became Chairman. For those of you who do know me, I hope you will attest that my first priority is making sure that the DDB network and its people reach their full potential. And that the work we do is celebrated as some of the best in the world.
I know that these next few months will be very tough for all of us. The challenges that we and our clients are facing are beyond anything we could have imagined even a few months ago. Fortunately, we possess an incredible leadership team, spirit and resolve. Each one of us is dedicated to ensuring as smooth a transition as possible.
We remain, as always, committed to pursuing excellence in everything we do.
Warm regards,
Chuck Brymer