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Interpublic Group has appointed Jacki Kelley, one of the advertising industry’s highest profile executives, to the role of chief business and client officer.

Kelley is taking up the post after a stint at Interpublic rival Dentsu. She joined the latter firm in 2019 as chief client officer and became the CEO of the ad giant’s Americas division just one year later.

Both IPG and Dentsu rank among the world’s five largest marketing agencies. They have thousands of marketing teams worldwide that generate billions of dollars in revenue annually by coordinating ad campaigns for major brands.

Kelley’s move to Interpublic represents a return to roots for the executive.

At one point during her lengthy ad industry world, Kelley headed IPG Mediaworks, one of Interpublic’s most important subsidiaries. IPG Mediaworks employs about 13,000 of Interpublic’s 58,000 employees and manages $40 billion worth of marketing budgets for some of the world’s largest brands.

Kelley’s more than 25-year career in the ad world also spanned other companies besides Dentsu and Interpublic. 

In the latter half of the previous decade, the executive spent several years as the COO of Bloomberg’s media business. She later become deputy COO of the entire Bloomberg organization.

Earlier, Kelley held senior leadership roles at Yahoo and USA Today.

The appointment of Kelley to the role of chief business and client officer is a win for IPG vis-à-vis rival Dentsu, the executive’s previous employer. The hire will send a signal not only to prospective clients but also employees. 

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