Gail Heimann's retirement is a huge loss for the PR industry

The announcement that Weber Shandwick Collective CEO Gail Heimann is retiring in November after a 28-year run at the agency did not come as a complete surprise.

There have been whispers about a potential change of leadership at the top of Interpublic Group’s largest PR firm for over a year now, and fellow Weber veteran Susan Howe will replace Heimann as CEO in the fall.

However, when news like this does actually finally break it is still something of a shock, such is the status of Heimann in the industry and the success she has led at what is now the third-largest global PR agency, following the merger of BCW Group and Hill & Knowlton to form Burson.

Burson recently became the second-largest PR firm in the world on the back of a rollup of three firms, BCW, H&K and Cohn & Wolfe. Ironically, the Weber Shandwick behemoth was also the result of a similar rollup two-and-a-half decades ago, when Shandwick, Weber PR Worldwide and BSMG Worldwide combined to usurp the then number one Burson-Marsteller.

Heimann leaving in November does represent something of an end of an era, joining as she does former Weber stalwarts Harris Diamond, Jack Leslie and Andy Polansky in retirement.

“Susan has been a big part of building this company, so I don’t see it that way,” said Heimann. “There’s no trio of better mentors than those three [Diamond, Leslie, Polansky]. We’ve had a very stable leadership team and have had for many years. And we’ve brought in some fresh talent in recent years.”

Some observers speculated that one of those relative newcomers to the IPG agency may have been considered to replace Heimann, such as EMEA CEO Michael Frohlich or North America CEO Jim O’Leary. But Howe is the continuity choice as next CEO, celebrating her own 28th anniversary at the firm today and linking the different generations of Weber’s evolution.

Heimann leaves Weber in a great place financially and creatively. She will continue to advocate for women in business, marginalised populations and the arts, as well as writing a book, which will not be about PR.

“I am retiring, but I have no plans to be a retiree,” said Heimann on this week’s episode of  Campaign's sister publication PR Week's podcast. “I’ve always fought for ideas and I’m going to continue to do that.”

Heimann has been a great proponent of creativity and sometimes you sensed that one of the most challenging parts of being a CEO for her was that she couldn’t spend as much time doing what she loved as she used to, although she certainly continued to contribute to the agency on that front.

Creativity in the PR industry is finally being recognised at places such as Cannes and it was fitting that Weber performed so well just weeks before Heimann announced her retirement. Standout winning campaigns from the IPG shop included Edible Mascot for Kellanova’s Pop-Tarts brand, Translators for US Bank and Rewilding Mode for lawn mower brand Husqvarna.  

As Heimann told us on the podcast, PR has been part of Cannes for 15 of its 70 years and is now acting like a teenager, with swagger, turning up to places it didn’t typically go, and doing extraordinary things.

“We spent the last 14 years in a bit of a self-flagellation mode and I hope we have shed that cloak and that this will mark a new beginning for PR at Cannes,” said Heimann. “It should, as marketing needs what PR brings to the table. We have proven our value.”

Rousing words that we will miss in the PR industry come November, and coming from someone who has played a significant part in PR shedding that cloak and stepping up to the plate to deliver on its potential.