Michael Frohlich Joins Weber Shandwick as EMEA Chief Executive Officer
Weber Shandwick today announced Michael Frohlich will join as chief executive officer, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). For more than two decades, Frohlich has held leadership roles at agencies across public relations, advertising and digital marketing. He joins Weber Shandwick from Ogilvy UK, where he was CEO and oversaw the restructuring of several disparate business units into a consolidated marketing network. Previously he was CEO of Ogilvy’s public relations divisions in both EMEA and the UK.
In his role at Weber Shandwick, Frohlich will drive growth and oversee the development of communications and marketing solutions for clients across the EMEA region, integrating the sector and service expertise of Weber Shandwick with the offerings of the firm’s EMEA-based specialist agencies: That Lot, Flipside and Prime Weber Shandwick.
Frohlich will report to Weber Shandwick Chief Growth Officer Susan Howe, who has leadership responsibility for all the firm’s regions. In addition, reporting to Gail Heimann, president and chief executive officer, Weber Shandwick, Frohlich will lead “The Global Transformation Program,” an industry-first initiative designed to champion and export boundary-pushing innovation from EMEA around the world and ignite client-centric solutions on a global scale.
“Michael makes change happen,” Heimann said. “He is a brave thinker, consummate strategist and the kind of leader who pushes for the best and brings the best out in everyone around him. He is a stellar addition to our team.”
Howe added, “Michael’s track record of fostering, collaborating and championing the kinds of integrated offers that clients need today is unparalleled. His deep communications expertise combined with his experience running cross-discipline businesses will bring incredible value to our already strong leadership team and operations across EMEA.”
Frohlich’s career has spanned more than two decades, having held senior management roles at both boutique and large network agencies including Ogilvy, Bell Pottinger, Resonate Communications, VCCP and Shine Communications. He brings a broad range of expertise across marketing and communications, including brand strategy, advertising, PR, social/digital content, media, design and production. Frohlich is also a celebrated client leader, most recently serving as the senior lead of WPP’s integrated British Airways team. Frohlich’s leadership has garnered several industry accolades, including Campaign magazine’s 2020 Head of Agency (Integrated Marketing). He was one of three top UK leaders to receive the Daily Telegraph Awards’ “Most Promising Young UK Business Leader” title, and was named to the PRWeek UK Power Book for five consecutive years.
“Weber Shandwick has made bold moves – across digital, innovation, analytics and organizational transformation – to transform the agency into the kind of deeply valued business partner that can solve problems plaguing not just chief communications officers, but CEOs and CMOs, as well. I can’t wait to be a part of this incredible agency and work with the leadership team to help further bolster its evolution as we lean into the future together,” Frohlich said.
Weber Shandwick EMEA is one of the most celebrated agencies in the region with over 700 award wins in 16 years across 16 markets, including 27 Cannes Lions. The region’s achievements have contributed to several of Weber Shandwick’s global honors, such as PRovoke Global Agency of the Decade (2020).