Publicis Groupe elevates Steve King to COO; more senior level changes

Building on their strong performance in 2018, Publicis Groupe’s focus is to accelerate their growth further in the coming years. The strategic game changers in data, dynamic creativity and business transformation are the Groupe’s core differentiated assets in the marketplace. The development of global industry verticals in marketing transformation and business transformation is the recipe to scale the game changers and provide the Groupe’s clients with greater expertises. 

The Groupe has appointed two key executives to deploy those industry verticals at global level, for all of their local operations. 

Steve King, member of Publicis Groupe’s Directoire and CEO of Publicis Media, has been promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Groupe. He will be responsible for developing the marketing transformation industry practices in Commerce, Data, Dynamic Creativity Optimisation, Production and Investment. King has a strong track-record in developing industry verticals for Publicis Media over the recent years, and is now tasked with building those global industry verticals consistently across all the Groupe’s operations and countries. 

Nigel Vaz has been promoted CEO of Publicis.Sapient. He will be responsible for rolling out further the Business Transformation industry verticals in Automotive, Consumer Products, Energy & Commodities, Retail, Financial Services, Health, Media & Telecom, and Travel & Hospitality. He implemented these industry verticals very successfully at the international level for Sapient. 

Alan Wexler is moving to Chairman and will work directly with Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO, Publicis Groupe, on selected key clients’ transformations. 

To help these clients leverage all the Groupe’s assets, Ros King is joining Publicis Groupe as EVP Global clients. Ros will be tasked to strengthen the relationship with key clients of Publicis Groupe and connect the GCL organisation with the five global marketing transformation industry verticals. Based in New York, Ros will report directly to Arthur Sadoun, who will personally oversee the transformation of the relationship with the top clients. Ros comes from Lloyds Banking Group, where she implemented operationally the transformation of consumer engagement as Director of Marketing Innovation and Communications, after leading agencies and top accounts in the industry.