Danny Bass quits GroupM to take CEO role at rival IPG Mediabrands
Australia’s most powerful media buyer, GroupM’s investment director Danny Bass, has jumped ship form the WPP company to take the role of CEO at rival IPG Mediabrands.
The move sees Bass take charge of IPG’s agencies including UM and Initiative, having controlled more than $2bn in ad spend at GroupM, which has agencies including MEC, Mediacom, Mindshare and Maxus.
Bass had been one of the favourites to take over from GroupM CEO John Steedman who is set to retire next month.
Instead he replaces former Mediabrands Australia CEO Henry Tajer, who moved up to a global role this month. While Tajer admitted he was “not surprised” by speculation his replcaement would come from inside the Mediabrands ranks he said the role was very different from that played by UM CEO Mat Baxter, one of the favourites to succeed him.Bass’ move comes two months after revelations of misuse of ‘value banks’ – heavily discounted or free ad space given to media agencies by media owners in return for increased share of advertiser spend – at GroupM’s biggest agency Mediacom, amid a wider scandal about misreporting of TV audience figures to clients.
Huge. Go Mediabrands!
thought Baxter would have been considered for this. interesting.
Solid work Danny, well done
May Baxter. Should have this.
Congrats Danny, good catch Henry.
Good hire. Congrats
Another good hire from Mediabrands. Massive gaps at GroupM all of a sudden…
Bass gone, GroupM in treble.
It certainly will be interesting to see how much budget Danny puts towards Plista from Mediabrands!
Plenty more bass in the sea