Suzy Ryder named CEO of OMD UK

Omnicom Media Group (OMG) agency OMD UK has named Suzy Ryder CEO, effective immediately.  In her new role, Ryder – who has been Chief Digital Officer at OMD UK since 2021 – will be responsible for leading the agency, focused on the continued development and future growth of the agency’s client partnerships, commercial operations, product, talent and culture.

Ryder succeeds Laura Fenton who was recently named CEO of OMG UK.

“As the Chief Digital Officer of OMD UK, Suzy has played a key role in developing the vision, operational excellence, and empowered and diverse culture that have seen the agency go from strength to strength in recent years”, says Fenton. “Her passion, energy and tenacious approach to driving transformation across all core areas of the business, will ensure that OMD, its clients and its people are set up for continued success with Suzy at the helm in her new role.”

During her tenure as Chief Digital Officer, Ryder was responsible for bringing new and meaningful solutions and opportunities to clients across a range of priority areas to enable them to expand, grow, and evolve how they use media, data, and technology to achieve better business outcomes. Internally, Suzy transformed OMD’s operating model, ensuring the agency is set up to leverage parent company OMG’s Agency as a Platform approach, connecting media, content and commerce to deliver better outcomes for clients. Her impact was evidenced in some of the highest-ever client satisfaction scores the agency has seen and the extension of multiple key contracts. Ryder also played a pivotal role in leading the industry-acknowledged best-in-class global partnership with Barclays, alongside powering OMD’s recent new business success, with wins including Compare the Market and British Gas.

“Working in close partnership with our OMD clients and colleagues to drive meaningful change through digital innovation, data and infrastructure has given me invaluable insight into what our clients need, and the core components required to deliver this,” says Ryder. “In my role as CEO, my priority will be to ensure we continue to drive business critical success for our clients, through a future-focussed, ongoing dedication to the development of our people, our process and our product.”

CEO of OMD EMEA, Blake Cuthbert says, “Suzy brings a digital first mindset and has proven her vision, creativity and strategic thinking in delivering transformation for many of our key clients. Having worked with Suzy on a number of successful initiatives, it is also clear to see how deeply connected she is across the wider group, which is a perfect set up to drive OMG’s Agency as a Platform approach. She is the ideal person to lead OMD UK into the future and we are confident she will bring her passion, expertise and innovation into this role.”

Ryder will begin her new role with immediate effect, joining the OMG UK Board and reporting to Fenton.

OMD Worldwide has added almost $1 billion in net new business billings since the beginning of the year. (Source: COMvergence)