10 advertising executives
The Global CEO of Publicis Media and Madison World's Partner and CEO lead off these advertising executives, with the leaders of Saatchi & Saatchi Canada, BBDO Atlanta, MARTIN*, Crispin, Young & Laramore, Sanders\Wingo, DAA Media + Marketing and Paradise Advertising & Marketing alongside; all ten hold CEO or president titles now. Brands picking media and creative partners, and agency leaders planning growth or client service, are the likely callers.
Professionals to explore
Ajit Varghese
LinkedInExperience: Former Partner and CEO · Madison World
Ajit Varghese became Partner and CEO of Madison World in 2025, after EVP - Disney, Network Ad Sales Head CRO Jiostar - Entertainment & International at The Walt Disney Company (2023-2025). Ajit was also Chief Commercial Officer at ShareChat (2020-2022), Global President, Wavemaker at WPP (2017-2020) and COO of Madison World (1999-2006), useful for media planning and buying questions from both agency and ad sales roles.
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Cedar Hames
LinkedInExperience: President & Chief Strategy Officer · Paradise Advertising & Marketing
Cedar Hames has been President & Chief Strategy Officer at Paradise Advertising & Marketing since 2003 and was honored by HSMAI as one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in the Travel and Hospitality Industry Worldwide. Over 30 years Cedar has led and managed marketing for travel destinations, making Cedar the pick for tourism and destination marketing questions.
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Kristen Cavallo
LinkedInExperience: Chief Executive Officer · MARTIN*
Global agency group leadership is where Kristen Cavallo fits: Global CEO MullenLowe Group at MullenLowe Global (2022-2024), IPG Consultant at Interpublic Group (IPG) (2024-2025) and Chief Executive Officer of MARTIN* since 2026. Kristen also holds Artistic Director at The Branch Museum of Design (since 2026).
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Leslie Wingo
LinkedInExperience: President & CEO · Sanders\Wingo
Leslie Wingo has been President & CEO of Sanders\Wingo, described as a Texas-based independent creative agency, since 2015, after Managing Director there (2001-2015). Leslie is also Board Chair at Behavioral Science Lab (since 2016) and Public Speaker DEI B Strategist at Chitlin & Menudo Circuit, LLC (since 2019), a fit for questions on leading an independent creative agency.
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Maggie Malek
LinkedInExperience: Chief Executive Officer · Crispin
Taking over leadership of an advertising agency is a question for Maggie Malek, Chief Executive Officer of Crispin (since 2024), after President of Crispin (2023-2024). Maggie also held Chief Executive Officer at MMI Agency (2019-2024), where Maggie began as an account coordinator, along with Senior Vice President, Strategy (2018-2019) and Vice President, Product & Performance (2017-2018) there.
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Nancy Steiner
LinkedInExperience: Former CEO · DAA Media + Marketing
Growing an agency and developing leaders from within fit Nancy Steiner, who became CEO of DAA Media + Marketing in 2023, after Vice President, Account Services (2013-2023) and a progression titled From Intern to Media Buyer to Media Director (1989-2013), all at the same agency. Nancy cites ADWEEK Fastest Growing Agency and Inc. 5000 recognition.
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Peter Bunarek
LinkedInExperience: Chief Executive Officer · BBDO Atlanta
Leading an Atlanta agency and industry association work are the topics for Peter Bunarek, Chief Executive Officer of BBDO Atlanta (since 2017), after EVP, Senior Director there (2006-2017). Peter has also been Board Chair, Atlanta Council Board of Governors at 4As (since 2015) and Board Member, 4As Southern Region (since 2024).
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Stuart Payne
LinkedInExperience: President CEO - Member of the Saatchi & Saatchi Global Leadership Team · Saatchi & Saatchi Canada
Toyota titles on both the client and agency side make Stuart Payne a fit for questions on agency-client relationships on a global account. Stuart has been President CEO - Member of the Saatchi & Saatchi Global Leadership Team at Saatchi & Saatchi Canada since 2007, and was Global Client Leader - Toyota Lexus at Publicis Groupe (2016-2020) and Director and Officer, Member of the Executive Committee at Toyota Canada Inc. (1989-2007).
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Talia Raviv
LinkedInExperience: Global CEO Publicis Media · Publicis Media
Organizing media agency work globally is the question for Talia Raviv, Global CEO Publicis Media since 2023 and Global CEO PMX at Publicis Media since 2020. Talia was President (2017-2019) and EVP, Managing Director (2014-2017) at Apex Exchange and SVP Digital Media Director at Zenith (2010-2014).
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Tom Denari
LinkedInExperience: President & CEO · Young & Laramore
Brand strategy and consumer behavior questions suit Tom Denari, who studies how emotional and non-rational influences affect consumers. Tom is President & CEO of Young & Laramore (since 2022) and was President & Chief Strategy Officer (2005-2021), Executive Vice President (1999-2005) and Account Manager (1989-1996) there.
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Choose the right perspective
For network-scale media questions, Talia Raviv and Ajit Varghese are closest; Stuart Payne and Kristen Cavallo add global account and agency group views. Peter Bunarek, Maggie Malek, Tom Denari and Leslie Wingo suit agency leadership and brand strategy, Nancy Steiner media buying and agency growth, and Cedar Hames travel and destination marketing.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01When should a brand consolidate media and creative with one agency group instead of splitting them across agencies?
- 02How do agency CEOs decide which new-business pitches to chase and which client relationships to end?
- 03Which fee models (retainer, project or performance-based) work best for an agency today, and how do clients react to each?
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.