Andrea Suarez Exits IPG Mediabrands After 16 Years

Andrea Suarez has officially exited IPG Mediabrands after a 16-year tenure, the agency confirmed to ADWEEK.

Suarez had served as global CEO of UM from mid-2023 until November 2024, when she quietly transitioned into the regional role as chair of IPG Mediabrands LATAM. She was still listed as global CEO of UM on the IPG Mediabrands’ website, as of this writing.

Suarez had previously held several top roles across IPG, including leading IPG Mediabrands’ global practice Thrive, CEO of IPG Mediabrands LATAM, president of Worldmarkets, and president of UM Latin America.

During her time as global CEO, Suarez helped guide UM through a period of operational streamlining and leadership transition.

In a statement provided to ADWEEK, IPG Mediabrands said: “We are grateful to Andrea Suarez for her significant contributions to IPG Mediabrands and her signature style of warmth, pragmatic approach, and tireless commitment as a colleague. Over the course of 16 years, Andrea was instrumental in growing our business, partnering with clients, and developing our talent. Her tenure as global CEO of UM and, most recently, as chair of IPG Mediabrands LATAM has helped us to thrive at both the brand and regional levels and paved the way for future success. Andrea will move on to her next adventure this summer. We wish her all the best as she goes forward.”

UM will not be replace its global CEO role. Instead, Suarez’s responsibilities have been distributed among several regional leaders, including Susan Kingston-Brown global brand president of UM, and Carlos Rojas Girao, regional CEO of IPG Mediabrands LATAM.

In a memo reviewed by ADWEEK, Eileen Kiernan, global CEO of IPG Mediabrands, reflected on her time working with Suarez. “Andrea and I worked together closely during much of the last 10+ years, and I can speak firsthand to her deep commitment to clients and talent,” Kiernan wrote. “She is a focused and tireless leader with a down-to-earth, warm, and pragmatic style. And I am grateful for all Andrea has done for and meant to this organization over the years.”

Suarez’s departure comes amid a wave of internal restructuring and cost-cutting across IPG Mediabrands and its parent company. In May, ADWEEK reported that the agency network laid off dozens of analytics staffers, moved roles offshore. These moves are part of a $250 million cost-reduction initiative ahead of the company’s planned merger with Omnicom Group, which was cleared by the Federal Trade Commission in late June. The $13.5 billion deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025.

Correction 7/2 at 11:40am ET: The headline has been updated to clarify the timeline of Andrea Suarez’s departure from UM and IPG.