Stephen Allan named CEO of MediaCom Worldwide

Stephen Allan, previously CEO of GroupM UK, has been named chairman and CEO of MediaCom Worldwide.   He succeeds Alexander Schmidt-Vogel, who has taken on the newly established role of CEO Global Trading of GroupM Worldwide. 

Stephen Allan (pictured) joined The Media Business at the age of 18, and as its Managing Director, helped grow TMB to become one of the UK's largest independent media agencies before it was merged with MediaCom in 1999.  Under Allan as CEO, the merged MediaCom TMB agency quadrupled its billings in only five years, and became the Number 1 agency in the UK market.  In addition to his UK role, Allan also served as vice chairman of MediaCom Worldwide from 2003 until 2005.  After MediaCom was purchased by WPP in 2005 and became part of WPP's media investment management operation, GroupM, Allan was named CEO of GroupM UK.  In this position, he was responsible for managing the UK's largest agency group, including MediaCom and sister agencies Mediaedge:cia and MindShare.

Irwin Gotlieb, CEO of GroupM, stated:  "Stephen has invested his heart in the MediaCom and GroupM networks over the years.  When the opportunity came up for him to continue shaping and growing the business in a significant, potent manner, he jumped at the chance.  We are thrilled to have won Steve as CEO for MediaCom globally." 

Allan stated, "All of us at MediaCom owe a huge debt of thanks to Alexander.  His vision and leadership transformed us into a truly global media agency.  Like Alexander, MediaCom is in my blood, and I am relishing the opportunity to further unlock the potential of our business.  There are so many talented people inside our network and I really do believe, that for MediaCom, the 'best is yet to come'."

The management handover will be effective immediately.  Allan will be based in London.