Former Deloitte Digital head Andy Main appointed CEO of Ogilvy

Andy Main, the former head of Deloitte Digital, has been appointed CEO of ad agency Ogilvy, which is a part of WPP, the largest advertising company in the world.

Main will join Ogilvy at the end of July, succeeding John Siefert, who served as CEO for the last five years. The pair will work together on the leadership transition for the remainder of 2020. Siefert in April announced that he would be retiring in 2021, after spending 41 years with Ogilvy.

"I am so grateful to have spent the past 41 years with Ogilvy. I have been supported by so many generous colleagues and clients. It's been a wonderful life,” Siefert said. “Andy's personal and professional experiences could not be more relevant for the ongoing transformation of Ogilvy and WPP at a moment of extraordinary change and opportunity in our industry.”

Main brings more than 25 years of consulting experience to the role, having most recently served as global head of Deloitte Digital, the digital marketing arm of consulting firm Deloitte which launched in 2012. As its leader since 2014, Main drove a significant move into the creative space, acquiring numerous creative agencies, including New York-based Heat in 2016.

Today, consulting firms are big players in the marketing and advertising space, with Accenture Interactive, Deloitte Digital, and PwC Digital Services ranking among the world’s largest digital marketing businesses.

Main joined Deloitte Consulting in 1999, where he was a principal and then a partner in the hi-tech practice, supporting hi-tech and software clients with consulting on strategy and systems implementation, among other areas. He also led SAP consulting for hi-tech and global go-to-market for Salesforce.com.

Main began his career with Andersen Consulting, before moving on to technology consultancy Capgemini, where he was a vice president. He holds a master’s degree in geography, business and marketing from The University of Edinburgh.

Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said, “Andy is one of our industry's most admired leaders. He has demonstrated the effectiveness of blending creative, technology, and consulting services. His belief in the power of creativity to transform businesses and the importance of people and culture in organizations aligns closely with our vision for WPP and our agencies.”