UM names former Mediacom US leader as global CEO

UM has appointed Sasha Savic as global chief executive.

Savic joins from EssenceMediacom US, where he recently served as global chief innovation officer. He was the CEO of Mediacom US for nearly a decade, during which the agency reported nine years of consecutive growth, and promoted to a global role last August when Jill Kelly was named inaugural US chief executive of EssenceMediacom, which officially launched last week.

Savic will report to IPG Mediabrands CEO Eileen Kiernan, who was previously global CEO of UM until she was promoted to IPG Mediabrands CEO last July. As part of a leadership reshuffle, IPG Mediabrands boss Daryl Lee took on a leadership role at the advertising agency McCann Worldgroup.

UM is the largest media agency in the IPG Mediabrands stable, with more than 3,000 people based across 100 countries. Its roster of global clients includes Accenture, American Express, ExxonMobil, GoPro, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss, Mattel, Sony and Spotify.

Kiernan said Savic’s effectiveness in building inclusive and connected workplace cultures made him an ideal candidate for the role.

“A tenacious and dynamic leader who cares deeply about people, clients and community, Sasha is a consummate relationship builder who has driven results for some of the world’s most iconic brands,” Kiernan said. 

“Sasha’s love of the business complements our strong, values-driven global culture, and his will to win and commitment to excellence will supercharge how we show up in the marketplace and for our clients. We are thrilled to welcome him back to the IPG family.” 

Savic said: “Building connections is what drives me—from strengthening community to partnering with clients to connecting consumers’ needs to a brand’s purpose and value. I look forward to bringing together content, data and brand meaning to create sustainable, long-term growth at UM, where I first got my media chops and fell in love with this industry.” 

Prior to his time at Mediacom, Savic held senior leadership roles at Havas Media Group North America, where he was chief operating officer, and Starcom Mediavest, where he was an executive vice-president, global managing director and chief operating officer.

Earlier in his career, he held director-level roles at McCann Erickson New York and UM, working on clients including Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, Intel and Mastercard. 

UM is on the hunt for a new UK and Ireland chief executive following the departure of Rachel Forde, who left the business at the end of 2022. Chris Skinner, UM’s EMEA leader, has taken the helm of the UK business until a successor can be found.