GroupM Shuffles Leadership, Consolidates Groups as Media Environment Changes

The new regime at WPP PLC’s GroupM is making big changes to its central ad-buying group as it prepares for a future in which more media is consumed digitally and ad deals are more reliant on data and technology than handshakes.

Rino Scanzoni, the GroupM ad-buying veteran who influences tens of billions in media spending each year, is moving out of his role as North America chief investment officer. He will become executive chairman and CEO of GroupM’s addressable TV group, Modi Media, as well as its barter group, Midas Exchange, which essentially helps companies trade distressed assets for media inventory.