Jerry Buhlmann to step down as Dentsu Aegis Network CEO

Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) has announced that CEO Jerry Buhlmann is stepping down effective 31 December. Tim Andree will take on the CEO role in addition to his roles as executive chairman of Dentsu Aegis Network and member of the board and executive vice president of Dentsu Inc.

Buhlmann has been CEO for nine years, first of Aegis Group, and then for the last six years of Dentsu Aegis Network. He will continue to work as a special advisor to Dentsu Inc. in 2019.

“After nine years as CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network and before that Aegis Group plc, I am very proud of what the organisation has achieved in that time," Buhlmann said in a release. "The highlight for me has been working with a group of very talented people and the impact we have been able to make based on strong team work, a supportive parent company and a dynamic culture. 

“Importantly at this time, the quality of the Executive Management Team is exceptional, the business has strong momentum and I’m confident will continue to thrive and grow strongly at a time of disruptive change in the market. Dentsu Aegis Network is a critical part of the Dentsu Group’s growth story and with Yamamoto-san leading the Group and Tim Andree leading Dentsu Aegis Network, I have no doubt that the future will be very bright as the business moves to the next phase of its development."

Andree said DAN's "remarkable growth and momentum" are a credit to Buhlmann and the management team he cultivated. "I have worked hand in hand with Jerry and the management team over the years and for this reason, the Dentsu Aegis Network management will move to the next stage with strong continuity and stability," Andree said. "We will continue to evolve as the most collaborative of networks known for its creativity, client focus and innovation.” 

Toshihiro Yamamoto, representative director, president and CEO of Dentsu Inc., praised Buhlmann's "bold vision". "Dentsu Aegis Network is today a highly integrated and highly competitive global marketing service group built for the digital economy," Yamamoto said, adding that DAN has doubled its revenues since 2013 and grown organically at twice the rate of its competitors.

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