Report by Charles Courtier, chief executive officer
Charles Courtier, chief executive officer
This year has been a paradox – the commercial context has been tough, but we have made huge progress as a network.
We stuck well to our core priorities: New Business. Digital & Data Shift. Client Centricity. Talent.
In new business we had one of our best years ever, winning $2.3 billion annualised billings. Our focus and approach is paying dividends everywhere. There was Vodafone (the biggest pitch of 2014), Tiffany & Co globally, BGL/Comparethemarket.com in Europe, Nestlé in Australia, Daimler in APAC, El Palacio de Hierro in Mexico and Netflix in multiple markets. Exciting new e-commerce clients continue to multiply in India, with our Bangalore office especially rocketing with growth.
North America was our best-performing region and in new business they had a transformational year. We’re seeing a momentum building there which will be very exciting to watch in 2015.
The Digital & Data shift plan is transforming our business for the future, changing the shape and scope of what we do. Today more than 50% of MEC’s revenues comes from digital and data activities.
We made important management changes. Renato de Paula joined as CEO for Latin America; our new team in the UK under Jason Dormieux and Stuart Bowden had a fantastic first year at the helm. We named our global chief talent officer, Marie-Claire Barker, who joined from Ogilvy & Mather and we have big plans brewing in how we attract, develop and nurture talent. In the end it’s all about our people and giving them the opportunity to thrive at MEC.
Looking at 2015, we start in a positive place, right around the world. We will need deeper and faster change in our digital and data capabilities as well as capitalising on the momentum we’ve built in North America, Latin America and in talent management.
The key is to stay true to MEC’s core purpose: Growth – of our clients’ business, of our people and of our industry.