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After less than five months in the role, Sasha Savic, global CEO of IPG Mediabrands agency UM, is out.
Savic joined the agency in February of 2023. UM’s roster of clients at the time, according to the press release announcing Savic as global CEO, included American Express, Honda, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co., Nestlé, and Sony.
He previously spent more than 10 years as CEO of WPP’s MediaCom, which last year merged with Essence to become EssenceMediacom. Toward the end of his time at MediaCom, he was named Adweek’s 2021 Media Executive of the Year, due in part to his leadership at the start of the pandemic. He’s also held executive roles at Starcom and Havas Media.
At UM, he was tasked with turning the agency “into more of a technology company and less a traditional media company, leveraging the agency’s data capabilities to better inform client strategy,” according to Ad Age.
His successor is Andrea Suarez, global president of Thrive, the IPG Mediabrands unit dedicated to Nestlé. She was previously CEO of IPG Mediabrands Latin America and has held other leadership roles with the company since first joining in 2011.
Neena Koyen, global chief communications officer at UM, confirmed the news in an email, writing that “Sasha Savic has left the company. Effective immediately, Andrea Suarez, global president of business unit, Thrive, will take on the role of global CEO, UM.” Savic had not replied to a request for comment at publication time.