Agency Business

Welcome to Agency Business. Olivia and Brian interview Rachel Huff, founder of Victoire & Co. and a leading agency search consultant. Rachel works with CMOs and brand leaders to run agency reviews and has a clear view of what clients actually value when choosing partners.She explains how brand marketers approach agency search and compensation models, and why many are leaning toward specialist partners rather than 'one-stop-shops'. Rachel also unpacks how AI is showing up in creative scopes of work, how client budgets are shifting, and why clarity and transparency in positioning matter more than ever for agencies.We hit on the tension between doing more for less, the pitfalls of agencies claiming they can do everything, and what differentiates firms that win reviews. Rachel also shares how client needs vary across sectors, from Fortune 100 companies to nonprofits, and why business problem-solving — not splashy creative alone — is what CMOs demand.In News of the Week:Publicis’ latest acquisition in Dubai and what it signals about regional growth strategiesCOMvergence data showing Publicis on top in media new business and GroupM on the other endAccenture Song’s earnings update, decelerating growth, and a sharper focus on AISubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.📬 Pitch a guest or inquire about sponsorships:📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

On this episode of Agency Business, Olivia and Brian interview Luz Corona, editor of Campaign US. Luz leads coverage of advertising agencies across the U.S., shaping how the industry understands shifts in creativity, media, and marketing.She explains how Campaign US covers the ad agency beat with depth and context, including its signature “100 days” follow-ups on leadership appointments. Luz outlines the biggest stories she is tracking now: the Omnicom–IPG acquisition, WPP’s consolidation under new leadership, and the wave of talent leaving holding companies to launch independent advertising agencies.We hit on why independent agencies continue to gain ground, how clients balance cost and value, and how AI is reshaping staffing and creative work inside advertising agencies. Luz also points to sports marketing as the next major growth area—an arena where both indie agencies and holding companies compete for ad spend.In News of the Week:S4 Capital’s challenges and the risks of over reliance on tech clientsM&C Saatchi’s resultsStagwell’s decision to divest government contracts and what it signals for agency reputation managementSubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.📬 Pitch a guest or inquire about sponsorships:📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

This week on Agency Business, Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser speak with Geoff Northcott, CEO of AKQA in EMEA. Geoff's been there 18 years, building a career at the intersection of creativity and technology. From launching Nike+ campaigns to opening offices around the world, his path reflects AKQA’s dual commitment to craft and innovation.Now leading one of AKQA’s three global P&Ls, Geoff describes how the agency is evolving after a period of major change. Its founder stepped down, WPP reorganized AKQA into three regional structures, and a new global CEO arrived with a consulting background. Geoff explains what this new model means in practice, how AKQA is integrating more tightly with WPP platforms like WPP Open, and why the role of AI is reshaping both client work and staffing models.He also reflects on the enduring tension between autonomy and scale in creative agencies. While AKQA has moved away from its studio-level P&L system, he argues that the new structure maintains entrepreneurial energy at the local level while giving clients access to the full depth of the network.Plus, News of the Week, with analysis of the headlines impacting agencies today:A raid at Hyundai and LG’s battery plant in Georgia and its potential impact on cross-border talentStagwell canceling a London event amid scrutiny of its work for the Israeli governmentThe Trump administration’s reported plans to ban pharmaceutical advertising on televisionSubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Welcome to Agency Business.This week, James Dale, CEO and founder of Sine Group and Sine Digital, joins Olivia on the show.Dale’s path into agency life was anything but conventional. A former musician whose band once played at Glastonbury and toured with Band of Horses, he saw his career collapse when streaming upended the music business and data slipped away from artists. That experience led him to build an agency rooted in performance marketing, conviction-based media, and data ownership.Sine Digital began advising musicians and grew quickly into a 50-person agency serving Broadway and West End productions, music artists, and major arts institutions. Dale explains how the company scaled by building out its own programmatic desk and data warehouse, expanding into connected TV and digital out-of-home, and developing deep relationships with producers and venues. He also reflects on the volatility of project-based work in theater, how the agency manages staffing when shows suddenly close, and why Sine Digital has stayed focused on a specialized niche rather than diversifying into full-service creative.Plus, News of the Week, with analysis of the headlines impacting agencies today:WPP’s leadership shuffle, with Laurent Ezekiel staying on as Ogilvy CEOEmpower acquiring Ocean Media in a significant independent media mergerServiceplan’s MediaPlus hiring its first COO in North AmericaSubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Welcome to Agency Business.This week, Pedro Lerma, CEO and founder of LERMA/ joins us on the show.Pedro shares his unconventional career journey—from selling radio spots in Wichita Falls to spending 23 years at The Richards Group, where he built both its digital practice and its Hispanic marketing arm, Richards/Lerma. He explains how that experience laid the foundation for launching LERMA/ as an independent agency in 2021, and how he has scaled it into a purpose-driven shop working with brands like The Home Depot and Salvation Army.He also discusses how LERMA/ approaches multicultural marketing through its “cultural fluency” practice, helping brands grow by leading with underrepresented communities without alienating legacy customers. And he reflects on the challenges and opportunities of running an independent agency at a moment when inclusivity is both politically charged and essential for growth.Plus, News of the Week, with analysis of the headlines impacting agencies today:Dentsu considers divesting its international business, raising questions about what buyers might emerge and whether the company can avoid a prolonged decline.T-Mobile pulls creative in-house while Walgreens reverses course on media in-housing, highlighting the shifting balance between external agencies and internal teams.S4 Capital is reportedly cutting its workforce.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Welcome to Agency Business.This week, Brian interviews Kat Ott, president of Havas Chicago.Kat’s unconventional path into advertising—from professional ballerina to agency president—shapes her perspective as what she calls a “modern marketer.” She explains how Havas Chicago operates like a speedboat: integrated, mid-size, and agile enough to make quick turns that larger holding companies can’t.She also describes how Havas Chicago won Stanley Steemer after competing in a pitch that started with 50 agencies. The scale of that process shows how competitive the pitch market has become—and how agencies must invest heavily to stand out.Plus, News of the Week, with analysis of the headlines impacting agencies today:WPP wins MasterCard, while Dentsu retains VodafoneAccenture acquires influencer agency Super DigitalGravity Global buys Marketing DoctorSubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Welcome to Agency Business. This week, co-hosts Brian and Olivia are joined by Chad Maxwell, president of Kelly Scott Madison (KSM).Maxwell’s path into advertising started in anthropology, a background that still informs how he runs KSM today—both in understanding consumers and in building culture inside the agency. He shares how that perspective shapes hiring, talent development, and client strategy.We also discuss:How the agency balances independence with partnerships in creative and technology.The role of geography in staffing and client relationships.Why Chad emphasizes relationships over spend thresholds in navigating platform support.Plus, in News of the Week:Dentsu’s international struggles and layoffs.Globant’s slowdown and what it could mean.S4 Capital’s odd and short-lived talks with One Equity Partners.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Welcome to Agency Business.This week Jason Mitchell, CEO of Movement Strategy, joins us to discuss how a social‑first shop scales from a college startup into a 180‑person creative agency. He explains why early pricing was a competitive advantage, how Movement Strategy grew from social AOR work into 360 creative projects, and why creator marketing works best when platform tools are paired with real relationships. Jason also breaks down the agency’s pod-based reorg for speed, its investment in a proprietary AI stack, and a partner-led approach to international expansion—plus where media buying fits alongside creative without trying to be a full-service media AOR.Plus, in this week’s news recap:WPP’s earnings show a 5.8% organic decline and broad regional weakness.Omnicom–Interpublic move closer to closing with U.K. clearance, raising questions about client and talent shifts.Marketers continue exploring in-housing: Georgia-Pacific’s programmatic example prompts a wider look at what’s realistic to bring inside—creative vs. media.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

In this episode of Agency Business, Haley Hunter, co-founder, COO, and CMO of Party Land, joins us to discuss building a comedy-forward creative agency that can still win serious business. Haley shares how Party Land has scaled from a scrappy indie shop into a creative force behind campaigns for brands like Liquid Death, Every Man Jack, JanSport, and Google. She explains how the agency’s clear focus on comedy—as both a strategic and emotional tool—has helped it stand out in a crowded landscape.We talk about how Party Land embeds humor in campaigns without sacrificing performance. Plus, Haley gets candid about attracting top talent, the agency’s evolution beyond just top-funnel work, and how staying “very human” might be the best defense against mediocrity in the AI age.Plus, in this week’s news recap:Stagwell touts revenue growth, but organic gains remain modestHavas sees improved margins, keeps growing steadily and quietlyDentsu sees more high-level turnover as execs exit amid continued change.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis. It's free and comes out every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

In this episode of Agency Business, Andrea Kerr Redniss, managing director and co-lead of marketing transformation at MediaLink, joins us to discuss how the firm has evolved from its relationship-driven origins into a full-fledged strategic consultancy. She shares how MediaLink works with Fortune 100 brands on marketing transformation, AI integration, and agency strategy—often in partnership with, rather than in competition with, agencies themselves.We cover what “agency therapy” really means, and why the firm’s relationship with parent company UTA makes sense.Plus, in this week’s news recap:WPP loses Laurent Ezekiel to Publicis in another blow to its Coca-Cola businessFalfurrias-backed Brainlabs acquires Exverus, signaling continued private equity interest in midsize independents?Interpublic posts improved margins—should it get credit despite major account losses?Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

This week on Agency Business, Olivia and Brian speak with Nadja Bellan-White, group CEO of M+C Saatchi Americas.Nadja explains how the agency is structured to compete across disciplines—from creative and PR to sports marketing and issues management—while remaining lean and independent. She outlines how the team scopes work through upfront strategy sessions and how a focus on speed, senior talent, and selectivity shapes their client roster.She also discusses:Working across time zones and markets without holding company overheadHow M+C Saatchi is experimenting with hybrid and outcome-based pricingThe impact of AI on pricing, talent needs, and critical thinkingWhat it means to be publicly traded in a market dominated by private peersHow clients are shifting toward smaller RFPs and project-based workPlus, in our weekly news segment, Brian and Olivia discuss:Publicis’ continued growth and investment in techOmnicom’s increased use of principal-based tradingAccenture’s reported talks with WPP and what it might signal for both firmsHow agency models are evolving in response to uncertainty in the U.S. marketSubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

This week on Agency Business, Olivia and Brian speak with Emma Armstrong, CEO of FCB New York and global transformation officer at FCB.Emma shares how FCB’s structure gives local offices real autonomy, and how her newly formalized transformation role helps scale innovation across the network. She reflects on how her team built a strong creative reputation, why agency operations must evolve alongside new pricing models, and how FCB New York has maintained just 10% voluntary turnover for three years running.She also discusses:How AI is reshaping lower-funnel work, but not brand fundamentalsWhy the project-vs-retainer debate misses the bigger pictureThe business case for culture and psychological safetyHer perspective on in-housing, the Oliver model, and evolving client collaborationHow agency leaders should think about succession and structural changePlus, in our weekly news segment, Brian and Olivia discuss:WPP’s appointment of new CEO Cindy Rose, and why the board remains the key power centerWhether Rose’s tech and sales background will help the holding company reverse its trajectoryIf Dentsu’s continued turnover and losses could signal a future divestmentUpdated data from Madison and Wall showing between 2 and 3% growth across top independent agencies despite macro uncertaintySubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter for episode notes and industry analysis every Monday.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

This week on Agency Business, Olivia speaks with Chris Lowery, president of Chase Design Group.Chris shares how he helped scale Chase Design Group from a three-person studio in a Silver Lake house into a global design agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and the UK. He reflects on the company’s creative roots in music and entertainment, the influence of founder Margo Chase, and how the agency has grown without acquisitions—by planting cultural seeds in new markets through longtime team members.He also describes:What distinguishes design-focused agencies from traditional creative shopsHow Chase maintains brand consistency for clients over decades-long relationshipsWhy the company operates with a flat, “player-coach” leadership structureHow he approached the sudden loss of Margo Chase and led the agency forwardChase’s view on AI, remote work, and where future growth might come from.Plus, in our weekly news segment, Brian joins from Europe to discuss:What the FTC’s restrictions on IPG and Omnicom mean for political and ideological targetingWhether the new decree will harm the open web and brand safety practicesThe fallout from fabricated Cannes Lions case studiesWhat Ogilvy’s shift from a global to regional DEI structure signals about holding company strategy.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

This week on Agency Business, Olivia speaks with Tim Ringel, global CEO and founder of Meet the People. Tim shares how his global performance marketing background and time at IPG informed his vision for Meet the People, an independent agency group now 800 people strong. The company’s pitch? A multi-agency model designed to preserve individual agency cultures while operating under a single P&L and shared equity system. That structure, he says, fosters collaboration without the bureaucracy of traditional holding companies.He also discusses:Why Meet the People keeps acquired agency brands intactHow its tech layer underpins collaboration across creative, media, and commerceThe group’s plan to grow geographically and fill capability gapsWhy they’re building proprietary AI tools in-housePlus, Brian joins in post-Cannes to share his impressions from the festival floor, including:Why he believes AI will lead to more agency jobs, not fewerHow Accenture Song’s latest moves—including the hire of Dimitri Maex—position the firm to build a media practice from scratchWhat the influx of IPG leadership to Accenture may signal in light of merger speculationSubscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Tyler Turnbull, global CEO of FCB, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to talk about what it means to run a global creative network today—and why he’s betting on premium creativity, flexible local leadership, and a new approach to audience planning.Tyler traces his own journey from intern to global CEO, shares how FCB evolved after the DraftFCB merger, and explains why the network empowers its office-level CEOs with operational independence while still supporting global brand clients. He also discusses how the agency integrates strategic media planning earlier in the creative process, and how it’s approaching AI: not just for cost savings, but for expanding creativity and driving business transformation.Plus, Olivia, Brian, and Tyler discuss:The future of holding company brandsInterpublic’s approach to internal competition between FCB and McCannHow political polarization is reshaping brand sentiment, media investment, and the stakes of creative misstepsAnd what Tyler looks for when hiring new CEOs to lead regional agency operationsStick around for our news of the week, including discussion of leadership changes at WPP and Dentsu, and the implications of potential political conditions on an IPG-Omnicom merger.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

This week’s episode of Agency Business is a little different—our scheduled guest couldn’t make it, so co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser go deep on the biggest news of the week. From sudden account moves to growing competition from consulting firms, we explore what it all means for agencies navigating a rapidly evolving landscape.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Jill Kelly, North America CEO of Assembly, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss her first few months leading the Stagwell media agency—and how she’s thinking about pricing models, technology, and talent in an increasingly complex media ecosystem.Jill shares her unconventional path to executive leadership, which spans media buying, corporate communications, and group-level leadership roles across several major holding companies. She reflects on how the practice of media has evolved—from basic reach and frequency toward nuanced brand performance KPIs—and why Assembly is leaning into both agility and simplification to meet marketers’ changing needs.She also explains how her team is approaching AI implementation, platform strategy, and compensation innovation—including her take on why Assembly’s size and client mix allow it to experiment with alternative pricing structures.Plus, Olivia, Brian, and Jill discuss:The new WPP Media—and the retirement of the GroupM name Accenture Song’s next chapter as David Droga steps downJohnny Hornby’s expanded role at WPP Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Talia Arnold, managing director and co-founder of Exverus Media, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss how the Los Angeles-based agency has scaled without shortcuts—maintaining a lean team, independent ethos, and focus on solving complex marketing problems with creativity and tech-enabled insight.Talia shares her nontraditional path into media, why she believes “anyone can start an agency, but not everyone is a chef,” and how Exverus grew from an attic startup into an award-winning agency serving Fortune 500 brands and fast-scaling CPG and streaming clients.She also explains how Exverus manages to punch above its weight, how the team thinks about outsourcing and automation, and what makes their hiring philosophy different from the standard risk-averse approach.Plus, Olivia, Brian, and Talia discuss:IPG Mediabrands moving talent offshore amid broader restructuringPublicis’ latest acquisition in the influencer space, Captiv8Ongoing leadership turnover at Gale.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Sean Corcoran, president of MissionOne Media and longtime agency leader, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss the launch of MissionOne within the growing “big indie” platform BarkleyOKRP—and what it takes to build a media brand inside a full-service agency structure.Sean walks through his career path, from political work and affiliate marketing to stints as a Forrester analyst and co-founder of Mediahub. He explains how his experience defining media categories and evaluating agencies from the outside shaped his approach to building challenger shops on the inside.At MissionOne, he’s aiming to blend the tech-forward strengths of acquisition Adlucent with a human-first, creative-led philosophy. He also unpacks how integrated P&L models help avoid internal competition, what it’s really like working with private equity backers like Keystone, and why the “murky middle” is the most dangerous place for agencies to be.Plus, Olivia, Brian, and Sean discuss:Omnicom CEO John Wren’s $1 salary contract extension through 2028.Keurig Dr Pepper’s decision to disband its in-house agency, Liquid Sunshine.Dentsu’s ongoing struggles in the U.S. market.Globant’s surprising earnings guidance downgrade.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.

Reid Carr, CEO and executive creative director of Red Door Interactive joins this week's episode of Agency Business. In a wide-ranging interview, Reid shares the history of his agency, its focus on integrated services and the choices he has made as the business has grown.Plus, Brian and Reid discuss:S4 Capital and Stagwell's diverging Q1 2025 resultsLayoffs at GroupM (or WPP Media Services) and of Dentsu’s latest Americas CEO, too4As new CEO appointment.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business features agency CEOs and financial decision-makers alongside third party experts including agency pitch consultants. We are always accepting pitches, and are particularly interested in hearing from women and leaders of color.Email us!📩 Brian at brian@madisonandwall.com📩 Olivia at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.comFollow Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work — plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.