GroupM Names New CEO For US

Marc Goldstein stepping down

By Claire Atkinson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/4/2010 5:30:57 PM

GroupM, the biggest media management operation in the U.S., has named a new CEO, Rob Norman, who comes from the company's digital division.

Norman will share management duties with GroupM colleague Rino Scanzoni who is chief investment officer. The appointment sees the end of Marc Goldstein's full time role with the company. Goldstein previously held the CEO spot for the North American division and will leave his position at the end of March. He had been in the role for the past two years and will remain a senior advisor. Goldstein had been a veteran of the media buying world. His departure signals a major changing of the guard for the company as the communications world moves towards more measurable media outlets.

Norman is CEO of GroupM Interaction and will retain that role while adding his other duties.

GroupM is the parent company of several media agencies including Mindshare, Mediaedge:cia, Maxus and MediaCom. Its roll is to manage the many billions of advertising dollars that flow through those agencies to best effect.

The ascension of an executive whose skills are so heavily weighted towards the digital world, indicate the importance that both media companies and marketers are placing on such experience. "Rob's background combined with the direction the media marketplace is headed, makes him the perfect choice to lead GroupM in this region in the coming decade," said CEO Irwin Gotleib in a statement Jan. 4.

Norman led the digital practice of agency Mediaedge:cia. He was also chairman of Mediaedge:cia in the U.K. between 2002 and 2004. He moved to New York in 2005 to lead the creation of MEC Interaction.