IPG Mediabrands promotes Guy Beach to global president

IPG Mediabrands has promoted global chief financial officer Guy Beach to the role of global president, and hired senior Charles Schwab executive Marlene Pelage to replace him as CFO.

Beach has been CFO for two years and faced the task of steering the company through the challenges of the pandemic. He's been in a leadership position at Mediabrands for eight years, holding roles as global chief commercial officer and chief operating officer, prior to which he held management positions at its agencies UM and Initiative.

In his new role as global president, he will be tasked with leading the transformation of the Interpublic media network, including instituting better ways of working with a focus on agility and speed, as well as achieving sustainability goals around the world.

Mediabrands global CEO Daryl Lee commented: "As the world tentatively emerges from lockdown, the watchword of the year is transformation. Guy possesses the deep knowledge of our business and of our clients required to keep Mediabrands ahead of the curve when it comes to better ways of working globally."

He will provide "a seamless transition" to Pelage, who takes up the global CFO role from a 15-year career at Charles Schwab, most recently as CFO of Charles Schwab Bank. In her previous role, she managed assets of US$280 billion. She's previously held stints in risk management and strategic development for Credit Agricole Indosuez in London and Hong Kong.

Global CEO Lee said she will bring "a fresh perspective to our financial teams and systems and insights from an adjacent industry that will help us turbocharge how we demonstrate value to our clients".