Four secure promotions in EssenceMediacomX shake-up

EssenceMediacomX is continuing to shake up its senior team following the return of CEO Clare Chapman, with a raft of promotions designed to bolster client service, measurement and analytics, and client relationships.

The move follows last week’s appointment of David Wilding as chief strategy officer with a brief to help create new ways to deliver data and insight-driven communications.

It sees Anna Berry promoted from MD to chief operating officer, and VP of product innovation Leonardo Reyes Acosta step into the role of SVP, head of analytics. Meanwhile, Jessica Lenehan will be managing director of client leadership, and Marc Adams is becoming managing director of client solutions.

Since joining Essence in 2018, Berry has helped grow the UK business by focusing on client satisfaction as well as expanding the company’s creative, tech, data and media functions.

She has also developed the business’ sustainability, diversity and inclusion policies, with EssenceMediacom UK agencies recognised as 2023 All In Champions in collaboration with the Advertising Association and EMX the most shortlisted agency at the Ad Net Zero Awards.

Reyes Acosta, meanwhile, will lead a 65-strong team of data scientists and analysts, drawing on his experience as a lead data scientist at Kantar and Mindshare, and as a lecturer at King’s College London.

Since joining the agency in 2019, Reyes Acosta has been credited with revolutionising the technical division, creating and scaling client solutions centred around user experience using AI and machine learning, overseeing the growth and development of EssenceMediacom-wide solutions; emContextualCreative and emValueSignals, respectively.

In his new role, he will be responsible for expanding EMX’s data science and analytics division, focusing on discovering new value, future-proof developments and breakthrough points of difference for brands as the industry continuously changes.

Adams’ role is designed to further strengthen EMX’s client relationships. Drawing on his experience in developing organic growth and transformation planning, he will also help identify opportunities for future product development tailored to client needs.

Finally, Lenehan’s new job has been described as fundamental to the success and development of client relationships as she focuses on the people at EMX – both clients and internal teams. She will ensure clients are constantly thriving with a continuing funnel of growth through media, creative, data and technology.

Berry and Lenehan will report to Chapman, and Adams will report into Berry.

The agency’s clients include Google, Mars, Sony PlayStation, L’Oréal, The Financial Times, BT, and Sainsbury’s.

Chapman said: “These incredibly well-deserved promotions are a testament to our ongoing commitment to delivering breakthroughs through superlative partnerships and exceptional execution. I’m so grateful for everything this team has done for EMX to date and can’t wait to see where we’ll go together.”