Ogilvy appoints global chief transformation officer

In this newly created role, Kocheilas will identify, develop, and implement transformational strategies and systems that help clients adapt to today's and future market dynamics.

He will work to create and scale new offerings, tools, and processes that keep Ogilvy at the forefront of the rapidly evolving creative industry, partnering with Liz Taylor (global CCO), Mick McCabe (global CSO), Sophie Hoffstetter (global chief client officer), and Philip Heimann (global chief growth and marketing officer), among others.

Kocheilas will also lead Ogilvy Consulting, the agency’s enterprise-level business transformation and brand innovation unit, which comprises more than 225 consultants worldwide.

He will work closely with Ogilvy Consulting’s regional leadership, including Ann Higgins in EMEA, Susan Machtiger in North America, Chris Brewer and Paolo Mercado in APAC, and Ranjiv Ramgolam in LATAM.

Devika Bulchandani, the global CEO of Ogilvy, said: “Throughout the past decade, Antonis has not only created an impact with many of our global clients but has collaborated with them by thinking in interesting ways about the long-term vision and strategy for their brands and businesses.

“He has proven to be an incredible orchestrator who brings together talent across capabilities to create innovative solutions that transform our clients’ brands and business. I know that in this new role, Antonis and the strategic powerhouses at Ogilvy Consulting will ensure that Ogilvy is an indispensable business partner to our clients.”

Antonis said, “When clients trust us with the stewardship of their brands, we have a responsibility not only to address their current challenges, but also to help them win a larger share of the future. Performance and transformation should go hand in hand, and feed from each other,

“Ogilvy’s range of capabilities, coupled with Ogilvy Consulting, uniquely positions us to identify opportunities for transformation and innovation while helping clients devise strategies and systems that will enable them to capitalise on them. I’m looking forward to working with more of our clients and leaders across Ogilvy to raise the bar of our collective aspirations.”

Kocheilas most recently served as global CEO of Ogilvy Advertising, where he led the modernisation of the agency’s advertising, branding, and content creation capabilities.

Throughout his career, Kocheilas has worked to foster cultures and capabilities where creativity flourishes and is directed to drive demonstrably better business results. He has seen the effectiveness of this approach through his work with a range of global companies, including SC Johnson, Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, Unilever, CDW, and Pernod Ricard, among others.

He is a strategist by trade with over 20 years of experience across leader and challenger brands, and he has delivered work that has created an impact for clients, as evidenced by numerous Effie and Cannes Lions honours, including a Grand Prix in 2018.

Kocheilas joined Ogilvy in 2011 as the global planning director for SC Johnson. This is his second tenure at Ogilvy. Previously, he was the general manager of Ogilvy Athens.

In the intervening years, he led MullenLowe Athens to become the second-most effective agency in Europe by the Effie Effectiveness Index. He also has experience working on the client side as marketing director at Korres, an international pioneer in natural cosmetics.