New IPG Mediabrands boss Danny Bass wields axe at Ensemble installing new CEO
Melissa Fein: new Ensemble CEO
Just months after taking the helm at IPG Mediabrands, CEO Danny Bass has shaken up the management at creative, sponsorship and activation agency, Ensemble, bringing in Melissa Fein from MCN as the new CEO.
The management restructure sees both the current CEO Justin Ricketts and managing director Tim Hodgson leaving the business to “pursue new opportunities”.
Fein had been the national head of Generate, Ten’s client solutions division, before joining MCN in the merger of Ten and MCN’s sales.
Well done legend…
A brilliant hire. Mel is an exceptional talent and will undoubtedly bring that to bear at Ensemble.
more churn at Mediabrands, revolving door of madness, why would any client put their trust in Mediabrands with ever changing management. Who will be next.
Melissa is the best in the business ….
Ruthless company. Smart and hard working people seem to lose their jobs there for no reason. Next to no stability – would never give them my business.
@Christian that is one of the most ridiculous comments I’ve read on here for a while, and there are plenty to choose from. No doubt you work at a competitor. For what it’s worth, Mediabrands has the lowest churn (staff and management) of any of the major groups. Oh, and unlike you I will openly admit my bias by telling you I work there.
Such a shame. Why mess with an agency with such strong momentum. Justin and Tim – will be in touch soon. No-one knows the industry like you guys. Mel – good luck.
Well done Mel… Great hire!
Hatched job if ever I saw one. Why cull the management team of an agency with strong momentum? As a competitor I’m happy to see them messing with a winning formula but not at the expense of two guys who were doing a good job and had grown the business out of nothing. I’ve heard Mel is good but the end doesn’t justify the means. Another example of a lack of loyalty from a cut throat media agency.
I know nothing anything about the internal running of the company, but why would they need both a CEO and Managing Director? Clearly they don’t if both have been replaced by one person…
Can only second @fromthesidelines comments and ask why?Seems like a very blunt instrument, current clients will be distrupted, all the work put into new clients is in limbo and staff get jittery….best of luck to the incoming CEO but there has to be a more elegant solution than this…
As a competitor of Ensemble I can honestly say this made my day. They were the agency we most feared and respected. They had momentum and the right model. Losing the two guys who understood this business is a huge mistake. Any Ensemble clients reading this – you have just lost the of the specialist experience you were buying. Time to move on (unless Mediabrands are [Edited under Mumbrella’s moderation policies])
Seems like a bit of a kick in the nuts not commending them for the work and years put into the business to date, for which has made it so successful. Management may have reasons for decisions like this but there is always a standard for which it should be communicated and managed both for internal and external stakeholders… Both of which has come across too aggressive in this instance.
Find me an agency in this space that has done so well in the last 5 years?
Surely a large part of this success is due to their leadership? I wonder if media agency executives actually understand what it is they do?
Mel – you will be a great successor – but the business will be worse off without those guys.
Congrats Mel & good luck.