Dive Brief:
- Horizon Media Holdings, the parent of agency Horizon Media, has named Bob Lord as its first president, per details shared with Marketing Dive. Lord, a former IBM executive, will report to Horizon founder and CEO Bill Koenigsberg.
- Lord worked for nearly a decade at IBM, serving as the company’s first chief digital officer, and handled tasks including the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across its applications. Prior to IBM, he was president of AOL and global CEO of Razorfish.
- At Horizon, Lord will oversee the development and alignment of the agency’s various businesses, including its newly instituted advertising offering, One Horizon, in addition to full-service agency Horizon Next, multicultural agency 305 and more.
Dive Insight:
Lord comes to Horizon at a pivotal time for both the agency and industry at large. Horizon is the world’s largest independent media agency and has recently expanded into new areas, including launching a full-service creative offering just weeks ago. Agencies are also tasked with mastering technology where Lord brings a wealth of experience, such as implementing AI.
“[Bob’s] accomplishments across technology, innovation, and business transformation make him the ideal leader to drive Horizon Holdings forward,” said Horizon CEO Koenigsberg in a statement. ”I look forward to working with him to ensure we remain agile, forward-thinking, and deeply attuned to the voice of our clients, redefining what it means to be an independent, tech-centered, and people-first organization.”
The agency space is set for massive disruption in the wake of Omnicom’s proposed acquisition of Interpublic Group for $13 billion. The joining of two giants is likely to reshape the landscape for smaller networks and independents. Some could go on merger and acquisition sprees to better compete while clients may look to more modestly sized shops as they demand simplicity.
Horizon could stand to gain from the Omnicom and IPG agreement, which is expected to close in the second half of the year. Having someone with Lord’s marketing and technology bona fides is likely to be beneficial as things start to shake out.
Lord, a 30-year industry veteran, is tasked with driving innovation for Horizon in addition to overseeing its portfolio and developing businesses across each of its offices. The executive will also handle international strategy. Other agencies under Horizon’s portfolio include sports and experiential agency HS&E, social-led content shop Blue Hour Studios, commerce agency Night Market and business-to-business practice Green Thread.
Before joining Horizon, Lord stepped away from the marketing and media landscape to take on leadership roles in the technology space. As chief digital officer at IBM, he helped spearhead tasks around AI, altered the company’s go-to-market strategy and divested core units, including The Weather Company, to better align with IBM’s business strategy.
Prior to his time at IBM, Lord was president of AOL, where he led the development of its programmatic media platform. Lord also previously served as the global CEO of Razorfish, guiding the agency as it became a leader in digital marketing and was acquired by Publicis Groupe.
