Ralph Pardo to replace Scott Hagedorn as Omnicom Media Group NA chief

Omnicom said on Monday that Scott Hagedorn, CEO of Omnicom Media Group North America (OMG), is leaving the agency. He will serve out his role until the end of his contract.

It is not clear what his next move will be, according to an Omnicom spokesperson.

Hagedorn will be succeeded by Ralph Pardo, formerly CEO of OMG agency Hearts & Science. Pardo’s successor at Hearts & Science will be named in a few weeks, according to a press release.

Pardo will be based in New York and report to Omnicom Media Group global CEO Florian Adamski.

In his new role, Pardo will oversee strategy, operations, development and capabilities across the group, including agencies OMD, PHD, Hearts & Science, Resolution and Optimum Sports, as well as its centers of excellence.

According to Adamski, Pardo will be focused on “creating and deploying leading investment, activation, transformation, and research products and services that will be fully underpinned by Omni - Omnicom’s industry-leading open marketing operating system — to orchestrate better outcomes for marketers in a dramatically changing consumer marketplace.”

Pardo, who has been with Omnicom for 14 years, was part of the inaugural Hearts & Science leadership team and played an integral role in the new agency winning AT&T’s business in 2016.

“During my time as CEO of Hearts & Science, we’ve been working with clients to balance the science — building strong data-driven foundations in support of modern holistic marketing; with the heart — architecting the experiences that accelerate the emotional velocity of connection between brands and people,” Pardo said in a statement. I see my new role as another balancing act, creating new solutions and services that solve for the disruptive forces of change that have become endemic to our industry, while nurturing and caring for the talent that is so integral to our group success and to valuable divergent thinking.”

Hagedorn joined Omnicom in 2004 as chief digital officer of RAPP. He spent time in leadership roles at both OMD and PHD before founding and leading Annalect, Omnicom’s data business that would eventually become the foundation for its data platform, Omni.

Hagedorn also founded Hearts & Science in 2016 and led the agency for three years before becoming North America CEO of OMG, a role he has held for the past three years.

“Scott has been with Omnicom Media Group for many years and has made many contributions to the organization,” said OMG global CEO Florian Adamski. “We thank him for everything he has achieved during his tenure and wish him the best of luck with future endeavors.”