Dentsu Aegis Network Promotes Neil Gissler to Global Chief Operating Officer

• Neil Gissler promoted to newly-created role of Global Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Neil reports to Toshi Yamamoto, Acting Executive Chairman and CEO, and joins the DAN Global Executive Team
• Essential new role focuses on the effective execution of the business strategy and transformation programme critical to delivering integrated clients solutions and long-term sustainable success of the business

LONDON – Dentsu Aegis Network, headquartered in London, announces the promotion of Neil Gissler to Global COO of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN).

This new role, created by Tim Andree, Executive Chairman & CEO of DAN, will see Neil augment and support the executive team in driving DAN’s transformation agenda. Specifically, Neil will be responsible for the implementation of DAN’s new market-leading business model - driving business efficiency by strengthening agency brands, delivering integrated solutions to solve clients’ changing challenges and further building operational excellence.

Neil joined DAN through the Merkle acquisition in 2016 as COO of Merkle and subsequently as COO of DAN Americas. The acquisition marked a step change for the Dentsu Group providing immediate scale, talent and new capability in high quality data, analytics and CRM. Since the acquisition in 2016, Merkle’s revenue has almost doubled in size. Following the recent announcement of Dentsu’s accelerated buy-out of 100% of Merkle shares, Neil is a key Executive who was retained as part of the deal completion.

Neil Gissler comments: “I am delighted to be working with the Executive Team to support DAN’s transformation agenda as we implement a refreshed business strategy and a new business model. I have been with DAN for almost four years and during that time we have rightly pivoted towards a transformation programme that puts the client at the heart by becoming a fully integrated business capable of delivering market-leading value propositions. As Global Chief Operating Officer, I am looking forward to working with the best talent in the business to drive profitable growth and combine the breadth and depth of DAN’s capabilities across advertising and marketing to deliver world-class client-centric solutions.”

Neil, who joins the DAN Global Executive Team, will report to Toshi Yamamoto, Acting Executive Chairman and CEO, while Tim Andree, Executive Chairman, DAN is on a health-related leave of absence.

Toshi Yamamoto comments: “Neil has made a significant difference as Chief Operating Officer for Merkle and Dentsu Aegis Network Americas and we are delighted that he brings that experience as Global Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Neil partners with the Executive Team to ensure the effective execution of our business strategy, ensuring that we have the required plans, metrics and targets in place to achieve our results. Neil will also lead the network’s strategic transformation agenda, with a key focus on re-engineering our enterprise-wide operations to drive margin improvement at pace. As a key part of the leadership team, we know he will make a marked impact across the global business to positively impact client outcomes.”

Dentsu has focused on acquiring relevant, high-performance businesses globally in high growth areas including data, brand commerce, customer experience, performance marketing and social & mobile. As the most acquisitive agency group DAN has welcomed over 177 agencies in the last five years, bolstering capability and focus on client delivery. Most notably, the Merkle acquisition placed DAN as the market leader for data, analytics and CRM.

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For further information contact:

Dani Jordan
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
T: +44 7342 076 617
E: dani.jordan@dentsuaegis.com

Notes to Editors:

About Dentsu Aegis Network

Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of ten global network brands - Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. Dentsu Aegis Network is Innovating the Way Brands Are Built for its clients through its best-in-class expertise and capabilities in media, digital and creative communications services. Offering a distinctive and innovative range of products and services, Dentsu Aegis Network is headquartered in London and operates in 145 countries worldwide with more than 42,000 dedicated specialists. www.dentsuaegisnetwork.com